spades and clubs
by laurensnana
Summary: Samantha and EJ struggle to reunite. Old loves, old family disputes, old enemies make the journey that much harder for them.
1. Chapter 1

**Spades and Clubs**

**Prologue: EJ Wells is now facing the biggest challenge of his life. The woman he has loved with a passion that could never be quenched is now questioning their life together. So much has been taken from her, but he must show her how much has been given as well. **

**Chapter 1**

A week of Samantha sleeping in the guest room had not improved the mood of EJ in any way shape or form. Then at breakfast that morning she had reminded him of something that he had let slip his mind.

"I have to go to Chigago to meet with Mildred about the new book, and the screenplay writer as well. Nanny is aware of everything on the kids schedules, so while I am gone it should be no problem to you at all. My flight is leaving at four o'clock, so I won't be here when they come home from school.. Please make sure you check their homework after dinner."

Her voice in front of the children was calm and polite, but they all noticed the difference in the way their parents were acting. . Justin was used to having to choke back his embarrassment at the way his parents kissed or hugged each other. He often averted his eyes when he saw his dad's hand pat his mother's bottom. It just did not seem right that parents could behave that way! Now, though, he found himself missing it.

Jessica of course, always egged them on! She loved it when Dad made Mom giggle! Ace could sense the distance between them, and all his old insecurities surfaced as his behavior turned back to the dark side. Kacie took the brunt of it from him, as he had three times that morning been scolded for hitting her, finally being sent to a long time out by Nanny.

EJ had taken Samantha's news with little expression showing on his face. Afterwards, he called to cancel the reservations he had made at the Salem Inn, the bank of roses he had arranged were sent to a local hospital, and the violin players were told to forget it, he would send them their check anyway. He said nothing to Samantha, figuring his big apology and begging for her forgiveness would wait for a few days. However, the people who worked for him were going to be in for a very bad day!

As Sami was packing up, Kacie came to stand in the doorway, her little face pensive. She twirled one of her hated pigtails around her finger as she watched her mother gather up things for the case.

"Mommy..the pool fairy is gonna come home soon. Daddy is gonna bring her home. I dreamed it last night. So when the pool fairy comes back, you won't be mad at Daddy anymore huh?"Kacie had never quite got the connection of Marlena being the pool fairy..to her, they were separate entities. One was the distant grandmother she faintly remembered from a different life, and the other was the winsome lady of the pool, who was so happy to be set free!

"Oh..baby, listen..no matter what you see, your Daddy and I love all of you so much! After I get back from my business trip, I promise you, Daddy and I are going to work on what has been worrying you! In fact, I am going to make some arrangements right now!"

Sami had been preoccupied enough that she really did not zero in on what Kacie had said about Daddy bringing the pool fairy home..later, as she was landing at O'Hare, she

"Hello, reservations please..yes, I would like to reserve a room with a fireplace, for next Friday, the fifteenth..a outdoor hottub with the room would be great! I will fax you over the dinner I want sent in, with the wines and champagnes..This is Samantha Brady Wells..and please, I want this to be a surprise, so contact me at this number. I am going to be out of town for a few days" as she closed her cell phone, she smiled at Kacie.

"Honey, Mommy and Daddy just need a little time to talk to each other, privately"

"Yeah, Mommy, you talk to Daddy in the hot tub..I dreamed it all too!"

Rather than pursue what was in the dream, Sami decided to quickly change that subject. Kacie and her dreams were sometimes too much on the mark. She decided instead to call EJ, and maybe show him a softer side. Sleeping in the guest room had not given her any joy either.

"I am sorry Mrs. Wells, Mr. Wells is out of the office for a couple of hours. He had a luncheon engagement."

"Never mind, I will call him on his cell" as she punched in his auto dial code, she wondered if he would answer. He didn't the voice mail came on. She did not leave a message, she would call him later from Chicago.

"Well, sweetie, I will have to call Daddy later, you tell him I tried to call him before I left ok?"

"Sure Mommy, now can you tell Ace he needs to come out of the closet? He been hiding in there all day long, not playing nice with me at all!"

Wiping her hands on her skirt, Sami headed for the closet that Ace liked to hole up in when he was having one of his "days". It was the same closet she had long ago used as a sanctuary to think about Will. His things were still in there, but she no longer regarded them as shrines, that were not to be disturbed. She found she enjoyed seeing his action figures played with, lined up in their feights of derring do by Justin and Ace. It made the memory of Will more real, so it did not fade away to a distant part of her mind. When she opened the door, she found Ace huddled in the corner, and as she pulled him away, he did not fight her as he sometimes did, but clutched at her in a sort of desperate way.

"Ace, honey..what is the matter?"

"I don't want you to leave us". He was simple and direct, Ace was not given to complicated reasoning. He usually just wanted what he wanted.

"Ace, come on, you know I would never leave you..I would never leave any of you at all!"

His blue eyes so much like her own and Jessica's were extracting a promise from her. Without saying a word, he was letting her know, he wanted her back in every way with his father. He wanted them to sleep in the same room, kiss and hug in the morning in front of all of them until they turned away in embarrassment...in short he wanted things the way he was used to and secure in.

Now Sami saw the harm she had done her family in not working things out in private with EJ. This trip had to happen, but she promised herself and Ace when she got back she would begin to mend the fence that her family wanted to protect them.

**Chapter II**

The cab ride into the Loop found Sami looking out the window, trying to avoid the presence of her ever steady bodyguard. His job was to protect her, but she also knew it was to report on her every move back to EJ, and that was sometimes a suffocating prospect. She jumped out when the cab stopped at the building on Roosevelt Avenue facing Lake Michigan, running in, leaving Earl to pay the fare, and try to catch up.

Earl was not having a great day either. His stomach was beginning to rumble, the result of a very bad hot dog he had scarfed at the airport. Mrs. Wells had arranged a late evening meeting and dinner with her agent, and he would be expected to tag along, but be invisible. He was worried about the invisible part if he would be heading to the bathroom every ten minutes.

"Have a seat here Earl, man you don't look so good..listen..just go across the street to the hotel. Nothing is going to happen, we are having the meeting here, then will go to the hotel restaurant for dinner. You are sick.."Sami was so concerned about Earl, she placed her palm against his forehead.

"You are burning up! You need to get to bed right away!" She was taking no argument from him, and he was almost too weak to give her any, but he still tried.

"Mr. Wells will.."

"He will hear from me, and I will explain how ill you are! Now go! You look as if you are about to...ahhhhhhhh nooooo!..." but it was too late, as his churning stomach decided it could no longer keep the contents inside. He looked ashamed, but a bit relieved when he had finished, and Mildred was on the phone calling the janitorial service.

"Don't say another word, Mrs. Wells, I am so sorry..but you're right, I do need to be in bed. Now please, promise me you are just gonna have dinner and go right up to bed..you know EJ will have my hide if he thinks I didn't do my job with you!" trembling hands reached for the water being held out to him by Mildred, and he looked beseechingly at Sami, as if to get her word that she would not make his job any more difficult.

"Don't be silly, Earl, get to bed. Mildred and I will finish up here, then go to dinner, after that, I will be straight to bed..promise!" and at the time Sami meant every word.

The waiter brought the two laughing women two more of the glasses of Chardonnay they were drinking, but since neither of them had ordered another they had a question in their eyes. He smiled and pointed to the gentleman standing at the bar, and when she saw him, Sami had the gasp and shock of recognition. Brandon Walker was at the bar, tipping his glass to her, and giving that killer smile she had once melted in. He was with several friends who seemed to be guffawing at him and his efforts to catch the beautiful blondes eye.

Now he was walking towards her, and Mildred was trying to read the look on Sami's face. She did look pleased to see the young man, and when the introduction to her was made, she knew immediately this was Wyatt Brinkley, the character in the book that Sabrina had loved at one time, but had never really been in love with.

He took Samis hand in his, and when he used the familiar name "Samantha", she wondered why it sounded strange to hear this from any mans lips except EJ's. He bent down to kiss her cheek, then turned to await his being introduced to the dignified, and handsome woman sitting with Samantha.

"Mildred Wallace, this is Brandon Walker, a very old ..uh friend".

"Mr. Walker, charmed ..actually, I have heard so much about you from Sami, I feel as if I know all about you already!" as she eyed him up and down, remembering how Sami had described all his physical attributes in her book, she was not being untruthful.

"Yes, well, I have read some of her books, so I can see how you might see things that way" Brandon smiled and winked, but all Sami could do was blush prettily, then invite him to join them.

"Well, I can stay for a drink, but I have to make it home, it looks like quite a thunderstorm brewing up outside!"

The flashes of lightning over the lake were illuminating the water, with the boom and rumble coming close behind. The storm was just gearing up, but with the next flash, the entire thirty floors of the building were thrown into complete blackness!

"This is not good, " Brandon was taking out his cell phone to make a call, but found he had no service.

"Sometimes these lake storms do this to the cell service, may I borrow yours?" Sami reached into her purse and handed over her phone, thinking when he was finished, she would try and call EJ.

Mildred took a sip of the wine, and surveyed the developing situation. Sami was talking to Brandon like an old friend, but Brandon was looking at Sami like she was a very special old friend. One he had sorely missed.

His demeanor did not even change when Sami brought out the wallet pictures of her children. Brandon wore a gold band on his left ring finger, but he did not seem to want to bring out any reciprocal pictures. He just looked at hers, occasionally asking a question about one of them. The small snap shot of her and EJ and their wedding was the one he gazed at the longest.

"So this is the famous EJ Wells, race driver, man of the world, and seemingly now, the one controlling the entire DiMera Organization. You have done well for yourself Samantha!"but the look in his eyes said it all. You did well but did you do good?

Brandon felt he was still in a position to judge her. However, now she was not in the same position she had been in all those years ago. . There was a definite power exchange now. He was still involved in his social work, but she was now a millionaire in her own right. It was not EJ's money or position or power that gave the air of confidence. It was knowing she had accomplished all of this on her own.

Mildred took all of this in, amused at the way Brandon seemed to assume to know Sami so well. Maybe one time that was so, but now he was speaking with a woman who had taken on a master criminal organization to rescue her child, and the infant of a close friend, created an international incident involving a prison break of a spy,

Sami herself had begun to grow impatient with how Brandon was speaking to her, the more wine he drank, the more condescending he became. This was reminiscent of the way he had seemed to her on the day he had demanded their marriage be annulled. Once again, she had disappointed a man she loved, and he had deserted her.

"So Samantha..how did you get one of the top literary agents in the Chicago publishing field to look at your work?"his voice let it be known he felt she had used the pull of the DiMera power machine.

"She wrote a good story, Mr. Walker, it had all the elements that catch a modern womans eye for romance and mystery!"with that, Mildred decided it was time for her to go. She had a short walk to her apartment, but since it was so dark, she wanted to leave before the crowds milling about dissappated and she was walking alone. Sami protested that she should not go out in this weather alone, but Mildred simply reached into her bag, pulling out the fold up umbrella she kept in there for situations like these.

"Don't be silly, I walk home from the office many many nights on my own..it is a great neighborhood, and there are lots of police patrolling on foot out there. You two stay on here and finish up your visit."and Mildred picked up her purse, kissed Sami's cheek and walked out.

Seeing the older woman walk out was the signal Brandons friends had waited on, and they both came to join them at the table. Now Sami was just a bit uncomfortable, having a drink with Brandon while Mildred sat with them seemed quite proper. But to be having a third glass of wine with Brandon, along with a couple more males who seemed to be close to sloshed on the drunkenness scale did not feel proper.

Just as she was about to give her regrets and her goodbye, the friend known by the name of Frank knocked into her, and the purse in her lap spilled on the floor. She bent down to retrieve it, and as she did, Frank opened the small capsule into her drink. Brandon was helping her with the purse, and was quite unaware of what his friend had done.

Frank slapped Brandon on the back, gave a sly smile to the other friend George, and then they stood up to leave together.

"Brandon, you just enjoy the rest of the night..George and I will just take the train..you come on when you feel like it. The trains are back on schedule, so I'll just have Mary pick us up at the Willamette Station. You drive back when you and the little lady are finished up with..." He winked slyly, then added "your unfinished business".

**Chapter III**

EJ had tried four times to reach Sami on her phone. Finally, he had tried Earls, irritated at how long it had taken the man to answer.

"Mr. Wells..yes..um..I am sorry, Sami is not with me now".Earl waited a moment for what he knew was coming, but what happened was a surprise to him.

"Earl..do I pay you to stay with Samantha at all times when she is out of town?"

"Yes sir, and I would be with her right now, except I am dying from ptomaine poisoning, and she made me come up to bed. She is down in the restaurant having dinner with Mrs. Wallace..and she promised to come right up to bed when she finished."

"I see, you are sick. You should have called me, I would have sent out a replacement"

"I know Mr. Wells, but I just felt so bad..oh god.."Earl ran once again to the toiliet carrying the phone with him and EJ was treated to the delightful sounds of Earl retching into the commode once again.

"Why didn't you just call me?"EJ was thumping his forefinger on his knee in impatience.

"Mr. Wells, did you check your office messages?"

"No, did you leave one?"

"Six, and I called your cell phone too..did you check those messages?"

EJ looked at his phone, seeing it had no bars indicating any service.

"Earl, I am landing at O'Hare in forty minutes, I am planning on surprising Samantha! And I will send in some security right now..I have a couple of contacts in Chicago! Go on back to bed..I will have this arranged within a half hour. Do you have a card key to Samanthas room?"

"Of course I do Boss!" Earl was glad he had done something correctly."I will call down to the desk and have someone come up and get it for you. I will put it in an envelope and let them know you will be picking it up!"

It would be midnight before he landed, but it should only be fifteen minutes to the hotel. His make up gift was in his briefcase, and he pulled it out to look at it once again. The luster of the pearl necklace was going to be even more beautiful against the neck of Samantha. The earrings in her jewel case would go perfect with these, and he had brought along a little something else he wanted her to wear.

He pulled it out of the Victoria Secrets bag, and shook it out to look at it once more time. The camisole and panty set was white lace, with only a pale yellow ribbon that tied it together at the bustline. Wanting to see it full length, he stood and placed it against his chest.

When Harris came out of the galley where he had been fixing himself a sandwich, the sight of EJ with the wisp of a piece of material laid against the wide expanse of chest, and the little panty dangling from the end of his forefinger, Harris shook his head in disbelief.

"EJ, I really don't think you are gonna fit in that, no matter how many of those cleansing fasts you go on!"

"Shut up, I want an honest opinion, do you think she will like it?"

"Do you like it is what is important EJ, she ain't wearing it for other people to appraise."

"Yes, you're right..and yes, I do rather like it..can't wait to see it on her, and off."

"Now you're making me blush, EJ, but I wish you well" Harris had already done his groveling to Chandler, promising to never ever keep secrets from her as long as she promised never to ask him anything. It seemed like an equitable way to make up, and he gave a smile as he remembered their ETA sex.

"We had a terrible argument Harris, this one was not like anything else we have ever disagreed on. She blamed me for the way Stefano let all of this stuff we have been through happen..but you and I both know there was nothing I could do to stop any of it. All I want to do is hold onto my family, whatever it takes!"

EJ had it worked out, he was going to demand that Samantha listen to him, he was going to force her to be still while he told her what she meant to him. If it took going down on his knees she was going to hear him out! Then he would make love to her, whatever pain she had, he was going to use his body to heal her with. He would give her back the peace she had thought stolen. In other ways too. but first he had to know they were together again.

The whine of the engine hitting the reverse was what brought EJ out of his brief nap. He had given Harris a couple of days to check on things in Canada. Specifically Abe Carver. Now that the council was out of the picture, it may be time to let Abe come up..he hoped so. He knew Theo was missing the influence of a father, even one as spineless as Abe. But it might not be as bad as it seemed. There were some elements of programming that had been done to help Abe regain what was now laughingly called a man badge in the organization.

Once the plane landed, EJ quickly took his garment bag, and his briefcase, and headed out to where his limo awaited. Checking his watch he saw that it was a quarter to one, so he was just about on the timeline he had worked out. The Sheraton Hotel was nice, but he wanted the best, so he had called ahead to get a different room. The suite featured a hot tub that looked out on the lake. He had been in luck, as it was free for the night, and only eleven hundred dollars! He planned on collecting the key to Samantha's room, then surprising her as he carried her from the room to the elevator, to the top floor and a night and morning filled with romance!

**Chapter IV**

Brandon and Sami faced each other across the table as she nervously sipped the wine. Once his friends had gone Brandon seemed to change once again back to the kind friend he had once been to her. When he no longer had a need to impress anyone he relaxed, talking about his mom, his dads present condition, and asking about Salem.

When he brought up the subject of Will, to say how sorry he had been when he heard, she was genuinely glad they had run into each other. He had helped her in her fight for Will so long ago, not just in Italy, but when Lucas had tried to turn the small boy against her. It was easy to remember why she had loved him. The time started to fly then, as they reminisced. up to and including the day when they had woken up together in bed with Lucas pounding on the door.

"You know, Samantha, I knew we had been set up, and I probably could have proved it..but you know what? Honestly I wanted you and Lucas to stop..I wanted you to give me another look..but I suppose I had already blown that with you, right?"

" That is water under the bridge, and maybe everything just works out for the best anyway..I am very happy..in fact I am going to call EJ when I get back to the room and have him come join me for the night tomorrow!" Why wait until Green Mountain Lodge she figured..there was bound to be a room with a hot tub at the Sheraton!

"I see you are also wearing a wedding band Brandon, how long have you been married? Who is she? Any kids?" smiling, she now wanted to know what had gone on in his life, and was eager to do the catching up as she sipped a little more wine. It seemed to have gotten warmer in the room, and she found concentrating a little difficult.

"Samantha, I was married, six years. Her name was Adrianna. She died a year ago, ovarian cancer" Brandon got the words out, not choking as he had any other time he had to give this information out. With Sami he was feeling comfortable enough to know he could tear up if he felt the need.

"Brandon, oh, how awful for you.."Sami choked at the thought of ever losing EJ to death, she would die herself.

"Yes, it was awful, it still is. We have a son," Brandon fished out his wallet to show a pixture of a dark haired boy of about three. "His name is Spencer. Right now he is with Adrianna's mother. My job involves a lot of travel now, so he needs a stable home. I go there every weekend and stay with him. It is great, cuts down on my social life, but he has to come first!"

"He..he's oh my..I feel dizzy..I better not have any more of that wine!" Sami was slurring her words, which concerned Brandon.

"You don't look well Samantha..let me help you up to your room, I would like to maybe have lunch with you tomorrow..I'll leave you my number,,"

"Brandon, thanks, yes I am feeling bad..my ..uh assistant had to go to bed ill, I wonder if he had something contagious..oh god, I really feel dizzy!" Her face was both pale and flushed

The two men who had entered the restaurant on the orders of EJ Wells quickly spotted the woman they had been ordered to surveil. Not really being privy to any inside information on who she was, or why Mr. Wells wanted her under watch, they simply did their job the way they knew how. The camera phone recorded both the stills and the video of her and the good looking man with her as they talked intimately. When the twof them left the table, the camera recorded her staggering gate, and the giggle she let out as she passed them made it clear what was on her mind. The one recording the pictures got up to follow as the other took care of their bill. He managed to get on the elevator with them, and recorded the conversation.

"Samantha, do you have your room key?" Brandon asked, and waited as she fished it from her purse.

"Thank you for this Brandon, I needed you with me tonight!" Sami was acknowledging both their conversation, and the fact that he was helping her stagger back to the room. Whatever poor Earl had was horrid! The button on his pen recorder had been set, and the conversation was duly put on tape for Mr. Wells. The professionalism of the man was evident, as he was so unobtrusive, Sami was not even trying to hide the fact that she was totally leaning on Brandon for all her support.

When they reached the floor, Brandon was practically holding her up, and leading her down the hall. The camera phone recorded as Brandon opened the door, then bent to just pick Sami up and carry her into the room. The camera did not record the fact that her eyes were completely closed, and Brandon had a worried look on his face.

Once he had her in the room, and laid on the bed he picked up her cell phone to call George.

"What the hell did you do George?" Brandon was sure he knew, but he was waiting to hear if maybe, just maybe this so called friend had not done what he had jokingly suggested Brandon do earlier!

"Hey Bran,,come on, you wanted her..I could tel, it just took the one baby.. I slipped it in and you are home free!"

Brandon cursed him, then hung up the phone, looking down worriedly at the way Samantha looked on the bed. She seemed to be breathing well enough, but Brandon knew rophy's could have different effects on different people. As a social worker he dealt with the aftermath of women who were slipped these drugs when he talked with them at the police station after the assaults.

This was a situation he was having a hard time with. Debating on calling the police, and giving up George..which meant he would be explaining why he was up here with her while she was under the influence..He could leave her here to sleep off the effects, but what if she had a bad reaction to it?

George was most times an okay guy, married to a wonderful wife, two great kids..Brandon decided he would not go that way. Taking off his shirt, and shoes, he made the decision to just stay here with her and see that she woke up alright. He would sit up in the chair all night, check her breathing, and when she seemed to be fully awake he would just leave.

**Chapter V**

"Damn, what is the problem now?" EJ used the phone to ask his driver why the hold up in the traffic!

"There was a blackout due to the storm, and the traffic lights are not functioning, so traffic is being controlled by police officers sir."

Another thing added to his frustration for this day, but EJ decided to make some use of the time by checking in with Samantha's security detail.

"Grayson here", was the reply when EJ phoned to check with his men.

"Hello Grayson, thank you for getting over there so quickly. Have you got new for me on my wife?"

The silence on the line when EJ had asked that question made EJ think his call had dropped. "Grayson! Are you still there?"

Grayson was still there, and really was wishing now he had not been on call when the request was made for this detail. He did not want to be the one to break the news he had to EJ Wells, so he decided on another tack.

"Yes sir, I am still here, but I think maybe Masterson should be the one to give you the report. Do you want it now?"

"No, just save it, I will look it over when I get there, the bar should still be open, so meet me in there. She will probably be asleep already, I imagine she is exhausted after all she has been through today!" EJ pictured Samantha, lying in her bed, the pale golden tresses of her hair spread out on the pillow. Actual pain clutched at his groin as he thought of how badly he wanted her. Soon, he told himself, soon.

Masterson furrowed his brow after Grayson had hung up. "Cripes, that little tart upstairs is his wife?"

"Yeah..who knew?" As he spoke, Grayson was uploading the phone camera images and video to his laptop to hand over to EJ Wells when he came in. Signaling to the waitress, he ordered two more bourbon and waters to fortify themselves with. They had heard of the cold fury of the man they had been contracted out to. Now they had to make sure it was deflected onto his cheating wife and the man who was now with her.

"How much further?" EJ was now furious with the scope of the delay.

"Only about a mile sir, but we just aren't moving at all." The driver was also frustrated but there was nothing to be done.

EJ then took matters into his own hands, opening the door, he grabbed his garment bag along with his briefcase and headed on foot to the Sheraton. With his long strides he knew he could walk it within ten minutes. Ten steps up the sidewalk, came what seemed to be a message from God on how bad things were going to be, the sky was lit up with another lightning display, and a torrential rain began pelting him. His three thousand dollar suit was soaked through and plastering the three hundred dollar shirt to his skin. The only thing that kept him plodding on without just throwing his things over the side to the river below was the picture of Samantha in his mind.

He knew how it would feel when he lay down next to her, pulling her warmth against himself. She would feel he was chilly, and would use her arms and legs to entwine with his until she felt the warmth returning to his skin. Once he was no longer shivering, she would put her hands about his neck, and pull his lips onto hers for a kiss of welcome. He would use his hands then to remove her nightgown, caressing her as he did so. In turn, her hands would be kneading the muscles of his back and shoulders, pulling at him to cover her with his body and then he would find the solace he so desperately needed from her!

Now EJ found he had to walk with the briefcase in front of his trousers, and he berated himself for thinking instead of just walking!

It was just ten minutes before the last call was announced, but EJ made it into the lounge at the Sheraton in time to order up a scotch on the rocks as he sat down with Grayson and Masterson. The waiter brought him over several towels which he used to wipe the worst of the storm from his face and suit jacket. The shoes since they were of fine grade Italian leather he figured were salvageable.

Taking a sip from his drink, allowing the warmth of the liquor to take a bit of the chill off he leaned forward to inquire of the two men.

"I take it Samantha was well looked after by you two, and she is now resting comfortably in her room..no problems with autograph seekers invading her privacy?" EJ had long ago fixed the problem with the paparazzi. They had all been warned that it was not a good idea to bother Mrs. Wells, but autograph seekers were another matter. Samantha became annoyed with her body guards if they interfered with them.

"These are the people who buy my books, not intruders! Do not bother them!" and when the bodyguards would relay this to EJ, he had agreed..as long as the autograph seekers behaved respectfully he said her wishes should be complied with.

"Uh, well Mr. Wells, it was definitely not an autograph seeker that she was with".

"No, she would have been with Mildred Wallace, her literary agent" EJ downed the drink, wanting to hurry up with this report so he could go up to be with Samantha.

"Well, the older lady left some time before we even made it here, she must have wanted to get home before the other storm headed in..no this was someone else she was with".

Now, EJ caught the tone in their voice, and rather than sit and feel like he was pulling teeth, he reached over and turned the lap top screen towards him to see what they had been discussing when he sat down.

When he saw the face of the man on the screen, he did not have to be told who it was. There was nothing of Samantha's past he was not aware of. Brandon Walker and Samantha had been engaged, even married for a short period. He knew Kate had sabotaged the wedding of her son and Samantha by using this man as a dupe. But he also saw the look in the photo that Brandon was giving Samantha. It was a look of adoration, and wanting. A look he knew and wore himself so often.

"Where are they now"? EJ had a deathlike coldness to his voice. The braver of the two men simply gestured with an upward nod, then showed the video of Brandon carrying Sami into the room she was registered in.

"He's a dead man" Masterson told his partner as EJ had stomped over to the front desk to demand the key left for him by Earl.

"I think we better follow him up in case clean up is needed!"

**Chapter VI**

Brandon looked down on Samantha, reaching to take a wisp of her hair out of her eyes. Her dream of EJ was becoming real was all she could think, as she raised up on the bed, grasped him by the neck and pulled him down into a kiss that he could not stop himself from responding to. Even the click of the room door opening did not break his enjoyment of the kiss, until the feel of his neck being in the grasp of a man bent on killing him brought him back to his senses. As he was pulled back, she released her grip on his neck and flopped back onto the pillow, now snoring lightly.

One hit of his fist knocked Brandon over the chair, and the two men who had come in with this crazed maniac grabbed him up, holding him just in case the boss wanted another go. Brandon, however was well versed in his own self defense, and he quickly broke the hold, using his elbows and knees to deliver some crippling blows to the men trying to make a standstill target of him.

"You are a dead man!" EJ whispered, before turning once again to Samantha. "You are dead to me as well!" But his words fell on the deaf ears of a once again sleeping Samantha.

EJ had clenched his fists to take Brandon on again, gesturing to the men to release him, and let him get what he had coming to him.

"Wait, damnit, it was not what you think..for God's sake, take a look at her, she is passed out cold, can't you see that?" Brandon was wiping the blood from the corner of his eye, hoping to get some vision back in it before he was called on to defend himself again.

"Mr. Wells, he may be right, I mean she isn't stirring with all the noise we are making..look at her!"

In the moment it took EJ to look on her sleeping form, something else became clear to him, and now he was really ready to kill this creep!

"You son of a bitch! You slipped her a rophy!"Now EJ had him by the throat, choking him, not caring that his two men were trying to make him let go..if he was gonna kill the guy, they wanted it to be someplace more discreet! Finally, they got EJ to stop for a moment, and Brandon took the opportunity to plead his case.

"Listen to me, please, stop, it is not what you think" Brandon was gasping, but trying to make this madman listen to him. "Look at her, she is fully dressed under the covers there, I just put her to bed..yes she was drugged, but I did not realize it until an hour ago..I was afraid to leave her in case she had a reaction."

EJ glanced over at Sami, she was sleeping through the entire commotion, a slight smile on her face. Seeing that she had slipped away from the pillow, he took a moment to replace it under her head. Her hand found his and she pressed a light kiss to it before burrowing her head beneath the blanket.

"I think she was dreaming, she thought I was you. man..she talked about you and your kids all night."

"Do you know how close you came to dying tonight?"

"I can guess..I know you are a DiMera".Brandon was waiting for what he knew was the next question.

"Who gave her the drug?" The question was to be answered, EJ was giving him a chance now to walk out alive, but he wanted to know everything that had happened.

"Look, I am an old friend of Samantha's"

"Please do not call her that, you may call her Mrs. Wells or Sami, but do not use the name Samantha on her, I alone call her that!"once again, EJ's voice held a hiss that was snakelike and his eyes fixed on the throat of Brandon again.

"Sorry, that is what I used to call her too. I loved her very much at one time."

"And that is why you slept with Lexie, then deserted Samantha to the likes of Lucas Roberts? Now that is what you call deeply held devotion!"EJ was scornful now.

"Yeah, well, I was wrong..if I had not been so sanctimonious we would have married. You are a lucky man, Wells, a very lucky man".

"I think I asked you a question, and I am still waiting for the answer."

"Ok. Well, I did have a couple of drinks here earlier with some buddies, and I saw Saman...Sami come in with her agent. I joined them and later my buddies joined us..I think one of them thought it would help me out with her if he slipped something in her drink..I swear, I would never do that to any woman, least of all Samantha..sorry, Sami I mean. I want you to know when I see my friend again, it will be to give him a little of what you gave me tonight. I am so sorry, honestly!"

"And of course, you had no intention of taking advantage of her present state..do you expect me to believe that?"

"Hey, when she kissed me I sort of got into it, I admit, hell, look at her..would you stop kissing that?"

EJ remembered a time, years ago when he had kissed Samantha on her wedding day to Austin. He had known it was not going anywhere, but he had wanted it and taken what she had offered all the same. When he considered everything, he could not hold it against Brandon, except for his choice of friends, he may have actually helped Samantha, making sure she did not get any drug reactions.

Grayson and Masterson escorted him to his car, telling him as he got in, "You are one lucky s.o.b, when we got in that room and saw you and her doing the tongue tango, we figured he was gonna toss you right out the window!"

Brandon looked at them, then at the window of the room he had been in. He knew if they had not walked in, he would be making love to Samantha this very minute. He wanted her then, and he wanted her now. Maybe it was not too late after all!

**Chapter VII**

EJ had taken some time to look up the drug on his laptop, and saw that the drugs effects took effect about fifteen to twenty minutes after being given and would begin to wear off in two to four hours. Rophynol was not legally prescribed in the United States, but was readily obtained in Mexico. It was used as a very strong sedative, but one of its main uses was to be administered prior to surgeries to keep patients from remembering events in case they should wake up while being operated on. This was what made it such a popular date rape drug..victims did not recall clearly what had happened, and for that reason seldom reported incidents.

Looking at his still sleeping wife, EJ felt a wave of tenderness, as well as an equal wave of guilt at how he had almost believed she had been unfaithful. He knew that was the one sin she found hardest to forgive in others, and would have found the hardest to forgive in herself. With a smile on his lips, he decided he would give her a wonderful surprise when she finally woke up.

"Yes, this is EJ Wells, I am with my wife in her room, but I rented the honeymoon suite starting today, so I would like some help moving please..send someone up!"

The hotel ran quite efficiently, and soon EJ was carrying the sleeping body of Sami across the threshold, and laying her gently on the bed. After telling the bell hop to bring up Samantha's luggage the next morning and collecting all the bags, he tipped him generously, then sent him on his way. He began to rummage through his bag for the Victoria Secrets bag and his special present for Samantha.

She was still a dead weight, and he looked quite comical trying to remove her business suit from her uncooperative limbs. Placing the jacket and skirt in the bag for the hotel dry cleaning service, he pulled out the lingerie he wanted to see her in.

He took his time getting the camisole on, as the view was a bit distracting, but putting on the wisp of panty proved easier. He then laid her back, fluffing the pillow beneath her head, shssing her when she began to stir, since he wanted her fully awake before he let her know he was with her. The clothes he had worn now were dry but still clammy against his skin and he picked up the robe left by the hotel and headed to take a long and relaxing shower.

A foggy mist was keeping Sami from herself, and she was now fighting her way up through it. Her eyes opened, then shut, for the light from the moon was so bright through the window. She stood shakily, and walked to look out, seeing that most of the city was still blacked out. She shivered, then looked down at what she was wearing..the camisole was not tied, the panties to it were sheer, and no more than an a half inch wide at the hip area!

These were not something she had brought! "What in the hell?" Her deepening confusion grew with each second, and the fear she has done something she would forever regret grew with it. She saw the white terry robe folded neatly on the chair and quickly covered herself up with it.

Her other clothes were not evident in the room, and her bags were not anywhere to be seen. Fear intensified in her when she heard the sound of the shower through the double French doors to the bathroom. Peeking through the door, the glass of the shower enclosure was steamed up, and all she made out was the figure of a well built male, his back to her, but the outlines of a trim and toned body that brought a sharp pang of memory of the night.

"Brandon!!" her hand flew to her mouth as she realized what she must have done with him, and the shame hit her in waves that threatened to bring her to her knees! Her camisole was untied, and she knew her breasts had been exposed in the bed when she got up. All she could remember of what had happened before was feeling slightly dizzy at the table. The rest of the time since then was gone from her memory.

Now she was sure he had cheated on EJ. There was no other explanation, and she had not excuse at all. Fighting with your husband was not a reason to go into a bar and decide to have a cheap and tawdry night of sex with...even with an old flame. At this moment, Sami hated herself as she had never hated herself before. Tears stung her eyes, and she knew she had to just get out, get away before Brandon came out of the shower wanting a repeat of whatever had gone on between them!

Her purse was not even in the room, and by now she knew this was not her room! The hot tub in the corner overlooking the city made her even sadder. She had wanted to have EJ meet her in Chicago for a romantic couple of days, away and in private where they could have talked over what seemed to be wrong between them! All she could think of now was getting away, and getting away quickly!

Mildred's apartment was close by, so she put on the hotel slippers and opened the door. If anyone saw her, they would assume she was on her way to the spa. Once she made it down, she would just rush out the doors and run quickly the three blocks to Mildreds town home. It was the only thing she could think of to do, but her mind was still partially in the drug induced fog. That was why she did not see the cab bearing down on her as she headed across Euclid, The sickening crunch as she was hit brought people running to the scene.

By the time EJ had finished his shower, the ambulance had already arrived to take the seriously injured woman to Rush Medical Center. The hotels monogrammed robe had been removed, and the woman presenting to the emergency room was wearing only the skimpy camisole set. For a time, her dress and lack of identification made many of the personnel there think she might be a lady of the evening, until someone noticed the unique wedding ring she wore.

"Check the guest list at the Sheraton..she may have been staying there, and had some kind of lovers quarrel!" the doctor doing the examination wanted some one who knew this woman to come quickly..

**Chapter VIII**

Mommy and Daddy were laughing together, Kacie saw it all so clearly at first. Then the dark curtain dropped, and Kacie was afraid. She could not see what was happening, but her dream told her it was bad. Nanny came running into her room and found her sitting up in bed screaming,"Mommy..watch out!" The child was staring out into space, in the throes of a dream that was real enough to her that she too could hear the thud of the impact of the red and white checkered car hitting her mother.

When the dream stopped suddenly, Kacie held the image in her mind, and clutched at Nanny trying to make her understand.

"Hey dearie, come now, child, twas only a bad dream.."her comforting words were having no effect at all as Kacie began to struggle in earnest..

"Kace, what is it? What happened to Mom?" Jessica had been awakened, and she knew her sisters dreams well enough by now to know they had meanings unto themselves. They were not to be ignored if Kacie felt this strongly, something was going on.

"Nanny, call Daddy, call Daddy now!" now it was Justin who was standing in the doorway of his sister's room, a worried look on his face. Ace stood next to him, almost giving in to the urge to put the thumb up to his mouth, but pulling it away at the last second.

Nanny looked at the bedside clock..it showed the time as being three thirty in the morning...but she too had come to believe in the sight as it were called where she was from that resided in the sweetness of the child Kacie. She picked up the phone and began to dial Mr. EJ's cell phone.

EJ had set the phone on the bathroom vanity, not wanting any rings to disturb Sami until the moment he planned to wake her with his kisses, and now as he heard it from the shower, he congratulated himself on his good planning. When he saw the i.d he had a moments panic, what would Nanny be calling him for now..had something happened to one of the kids?"

"Sir, excuse me for this but little Kacie has had a bad dream about her mum, can you please tell her that things is aright with you two..I am sure twill make her sleep better.."

"She is having a bad dream, is that all? She isn't ill or anything?" EJ worried about Kacie, always afraid some lingering after effect of her illness would manifest itself, and he knew he tended to baby her a bit.

"Nah suh, she is foine, I think if you just reassure her you and the missus is good and well, she will settle back down" Nanny was sure of it, but Jessica, Justin, and Ace were not of the same mind. Kacie did not appear to be settling down at all, but getting more agitated and tearful by the second.

"Put her on, please..it's quite alright, I was not in bed yet anyway..."He waited a few seconds then could hear the hiccupping sobs of his little girl as she came onto the phone. It took her a bit to be able to speak, and the way she sounded told her father she was extremely upset.

"Hey, chicken..what are you worrying Nanny like this for? Mommy is sound asleep in the room, I am just out of the shower, about to go lay down with her and sleep for a bit..so how about this? When she wakes up, I will have her call you herself ok? She can tell you she is fine all by herself, how does that sound?"

"Daddy, let me talk to her now! I hafta tell her to look both ways when she crosses the streets..like she tells us we hafta look both ways! So take the phone to her, let me tell her, and then I will go back to sleep, and you can both go back to sleep". Kacie was willing to bargain, as long as she got her end of the deal upheld as well.

Knowing the only way to get her back to bed and to give Nanny any peace was to give in, EJ laughed softly, "Ok, chicken, you win. I will wake her up..hold on," he slipped the robe back on and walked out into the suite. When he saw the empty bed, and the empty expanse of the room he choked a bit.

"Listen Chicken, I think Mommy is really tired, I cannot get her to wake up. So I want you to go on back to bed, and Mommy and I will call you back in a few minutes..ok?"

It was not ok, Kacie now knew her dream was the truth as it was!

"Daddy, go stop her from going into the street..the car is gonna hit her!" the only thing untrue about the dream Kacie had was the timing. Her dream was six minutes late.

Looking down the forty three floors, EJ could see the gathering of the emergency vehicles. He threw on his trousers, a shirt, and slipped on his shoes without even bothering for socks before he ran out the door to the elevator. The revolving door at the lobby gave a whoosh as he pushed through it, getting to the sidewalk in time to hear the siren start on the ambulance that was taking his wife to the emergency department.

After being given the directions, EJ realized he had not even put his wallet in the pocket of his pants, but having the bellman remember the one hundred dollar tip had been bread upon the waters, and the bellman re loaned it to him to pay the cab fare to the hospital.

It was one of those paragon of efficiency nurses who he had the misfortune to run into when he demanded to know where his wife had been taken.

"Who is your wife?" as she opened up a fresh screen on the computer screen.

"Samantha Brady Wells!"

"The authoress? The one who wrote "Our Lives, Our Days? I loved her books"

"Holy Christ, she was hit by a cab, now where the hell is she?"

"Oh the cab hit, yes, the one who was almost naked..yes, she is on the fourth floor,

X-ray" before she had the words out, EJ was at the elevator, pushing aside an old man in a walker to get to the opening door.

"Pushy bastard!, Just wait til you get old and have to use one of these!"

"Dreadfully sorry, here let me help you.."EJ picked the man up, walker and all to set him down gently in the elevator. When the man reached to push to go to the third floor, EJ stopped his hand..."No, we are going to fourth floor first, then you may go to the third."

"Pushy bastard! I say I am going to the third floor and nothing you can do to stop me from it!"

When the elevator door stopped on the fourth floor, EJ got off quickly, leaving the old man sitting on the floor with his walker bent halfway around his neck.

**Chapter IX**

"Daddy! Daddy! Come see what Granma made us! Blueberry pancakes!" the dark eyes of the little boy as he tugged at the covers of his dad, trying to get him up for this special unaccustomed treat!

"Whoa there Spenc, Daddy had a pretty late night, but blueberry pancakes? Yum! Give me a minute and I will be right there!" Brandon swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and slipped on pj bottoms, and a t-shirt to head down to breakfast.

"Morning Lucy, wow! This looks great!" Brandon surveyed the spread before him, the pancakes were fragrant, crispy bacon, orange juice, and best of all, hot coffee! His mother in law had been a godsend, but she would have said it was the other way around. Losing her daughter, Adrianna, had been the worst moment of her life, and if not for being able to care for her grandson, she would have gone insane.

Now she was in her element. The small boy with the dark curly hair, and the almost coal dark eyes was smacking a bit as he downed the pancakes, smiling, and making that little humming noise he made when he was especially pleased with his meal. Spencer was the image of Brandon, until he smiled..then the dimples in his cheek marked him as a child of Adrianna. Spencer was making sure his Dad was enjoying it, looking over to him and saying, "Hey Dad, maybe we can have blueberry pancakes on Sunday too, and you can take me to the park to sail my boat ok?"

"Well, son, that sounds like the best idea I have heard all week! I bet we can get that boat out on that lake and make it beat all the rest of them in a race! You just make sure to get it all polished up so it looks real pretty for Sunday..can you do that?" since his wife had died, only Spencer had the means of really making Brandon smile..except for the woman he had been with for a few hours last night. He remembered he had actually smiled and been happy for a time when they had been talking. Samantha had been a love of a lifetime, and if he had only given her a chance..he shook the thought from his mind. He had been happily married, and life gives you no guarantees. He also knew Samantha was happy with her life. She had glowed when showing him her families pictures. It had been good to see her, and as for the rest of the night, well, he did not regret the kiss at all, but he knew why her husband had reacted the way he did, he would have done the same.

Lucy noticed his pensive look as his eating slowed. "Here is the paper, now you better eat up if you are gonna be worth a damn at work today! It was late when you got in, and you need some fuel!" She handed him the paper to read, and when he opened to the front page and saw the headline and picture, he stopped in mid bite.

"**Authoress, Samantha Brady Wells Hit by Cab'**

He scanned the article, and noting the time, he saw it happened an hour after he had left her! "What did that bastard do to you?' He said this aloud as he read, making both Lucy and Spencer look at him curiously. The only information about her condition was that it was serious, and she had been in surgery that morning.

"Damn, she is at Rush!" Brandon spent a lot of time there, as his specialty was counseling families and children who had been involved in traumatic events. If there was a shooting at a school, he was there to offer as someone to talk to. He was often the one who families turned to if a loved one had been seriously injured.

'Lucy, I have to get into work now! Can you get Spence off to pre school" he knew she would be disappointed about the breakfast, but he had to get to Samantha. If she needed his help, he wanted to be there for her!

He found EJ sitting in the waiting room outside of the operating theatre. Gone was the self assured powerful man who could have ordered him killed and disposed of without a second thought. This man sitting here was afraid. Brandon knew that look well. He saw it on countless family members waiting to see if someone they loved was going to still be with them after all the medical teams had finished what they could do.

"I am sorry, I just heard. If you like, I will see what I can find out about what is going on..I know the worst thing about being in this situation is not knowing what is happening." Brandons voice was low and soft, but not condescending.

EJ looked at him coldly. In his mind, Brandon's decision to go out drinking with friends who would better fit on the evolutionary scale as pond scum had been the cause of Samantha's accident.

"If you have any pull with these imbeciles, I would appreciate it. Right now I have some experts flying in to give their opinions as well."though he thought Brandon was a friend of pond scum, he would use whatever help he could offer right now.

"Give me a minute, but I should tell you, the doctors here at Rush are top caliber..Samanth..Sami is in very capable hands, and they will do everything they can to see she makes a complete recovery.

"Thank you, and her complete recovery will be a good thing for your friend George as well" EJ knew his meaning was clear when Brandon cleared his throat but said nothing.

"Ok, I understand what you must be going through, but the guy is just an ordinary family man, except he had a few too many drinks last night, please, can you give him a little break?"

"Yes, I think I may be able to do that". EJ then decided he would only have one arm and one leg broken. That would probably teach him all the lesson he needed to learn. "Now, you said you were going to see what you can find out about her condition..can you do that now please, I am counting on you to help me here." The threat implied was not lost again on Brandon, but he really did want to find out her condition anyway, more for himself than for this thug who had begun to really annoy him,

He walked over to the nurses station, and began to shamelessly flirt with the attractive nurse working the desk. Soon, she was leaning over the counter top, opening up the file, and then checking on the computer logs to dig up whatever else was available.

'The patient presented in an unconscious state, dressed only in a flimsy piece of lingerie,

Paramedic workers said they had cut off the remains of a terry robe with the monogram from the Sheraton Hotel indicated. Worst injuries appear to be orthopedic, with a compound fracture appearing in X-ray of her right femur. Multiple contusions were found on her body after removal of clothing.

Scan shows no brain damages, but several ribs have been cracked. Prognosis after surgery to pin and reset leg appears to be good."

Nothing in the file was earth shattering, she had been coded as serious due to being unconscious when she was brought in. Brandon knew this was all good news though, and he walked back to EJ, a slight smile on his face.

"It looks ok from the chart..when they bring her down from surgery I will talk to the doctor with you. But it looks good..she was lucky!"

The white look EJ had sported before now was flooding back with color. He reached for Brandons hand and shook it in gratitude.

"I have to call the kids before they hear it from someone else.."EJ already could see the press that would now be stationed outside his estate. He need Matthew on the job to protect them right away!

**Chapter X**

Sami woke from the nap she had been taking, surprised at how little her right leg was hurting now. Her IV unit included a little push button operated system that allowed her to dispense whatever amount of pain medication she needed. Up until this moment she had hit the button any time she found herself waking up, as the discomfort was too much too bear. Now she was willing to stay afloat for a few minutes, and she saw once again, EJ was sitting in the chair next to her bed. His head was thrown back a bit, and his eyes were closed as he slept. She could see he was sporting at least two days growth of beard, and she knew that was about the amount of time she had been in the hospital. Her memory of how and why she was there was fuzzy. The last thing she recalled totally was walking out of the hotel. What had made her walk out was something she did not remember until she looked up to the doorway and saw Brandon Walker standing there, a small bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"I thought you might be feeling a little less under the weather today, the worst of the surgery pain should be easing up now..am I right?" his voice was concerned and tender, and EJ woke immediately upon hearing him.

"Hello Brandon, what a surprise to see you here" EJ was not rude, but his voice was tempered with a tone that said this visit was unwelcome.

Sami, though, was looking at Brandon with a plea in her eyes. The plea was for him to just stay quiet, give her the flowers and leave before the guilt in her eyes told EJ everything she did not want him to know! Knowing she had been in a hotel room with Brandon, half naked, and Brandon showering probably after having made love to her made her want to escape again. Reaching over, she gave the button two pushes, waiting in blessed relief for the medication to take over her mind. It started quickly, and she smiled as she felt the slide into oblivion begin.

"Damn! She must still be in pain, I was hoping she would stay awake long enough to talk with her."EJ had been by her side for two days, no shower, no change of clothes, and he was starting to be decidedly unfresh.

"Look EJ, why don't you go back to the hotel and freshen up. I will stay here with her, and if she wakes up I will make sure she calls you. I mean, when she does come up for air, you don't want her seeing you looking like that..right?"

EJ was loathe to leave her, but he was feeling in need of a clean up. If only Harris was not still in the middle of Canada operations, he would have much preferred that he be there with her, not Brandon. He checked his watch, calculating he could be finished and back at the hospital in less than an hour..when she punched in the dosage, it usually took effect for two to three hours. Brandon would sit with her, so if she should wake she would not be completely alone. His real hope was that she would remain asleep.

EJ made it back to the hotel, shaved and showered, changed into fresh clothes within thirty minutes. He saw the message light flash on his phone and picked it up to check his voice mails. One was from Matthew, just a simple one word message which told EJ that the fellow George had met with an unfortunate accident.

"Done". EJ wrote on his notebook that Matthew was to be given a bonus for efficiency. Now he decided to give a call to home to speak with the children. He planned on flying Samantha home within two days, and had been arranging to have a room set up downstairs for the two of them to share. It would be two beds of course, as he knew the cast would need to be defended against accidental bumping. The six weeks or so of healing would be another period added to his celibacy, and he clenched his fists while thinking of it.

"Hey Chicken, How are you sweetie?"His youngest daughter had begged Nanny to take the phone first.

"Daddy, I am making Mommy a present! It will be done by the time you bring her home! Bring her home like you said, two days ok?"

"Yes I will Chicken..now let me talk to the others ok, I have to get back to the hospital so Mommy is not by herself!"

"Hey Dad, Mom is coming home in two days? Super! I want her to be able to come to the football game next week? Do you think she can come?" Justin was going to be playing in his first tag football game, and having his mom at his games was always a source of embarrassed pride to him. She tended to yell the loudest of all the moms!

"Please tell her how much we all miss her..and I have a beautiful purple marker that I want to autograph her cast with ok?" EJ smiled at his "Trouble" who was turning into the little "mother" of all his and Samantha's children. He knew she had taken Ace under her wing, knowing he was the least equipped of all of them to cope with missing his Mother. He was a fiercely brave boy, but when it came to his mother, he found it hard to cope with separation from him.

"Daddy, can I come to Chick-kago to see Mommy now?"This was Aces demand, and EJ thought for a moment.

"Ok, Ace, I think I can arrange that, maybe all of you can come! Let me speak with Nanny!" he could think of no greater gift for either Samantha or the children than to have them with her when she was taken home!

"Samantha..Samantha..look I know you hear me, and while EJ is gone I wanted to tell you how wonderful it was to be with you the other night. I only wish I had been smart enough to keep you with me when I had the chance, but thank you anyway for the other night. It is a memory I will cherish forever!" Brandon took her hand, kissed it lightly, then bent to kiss her forehead.

The words did get through to Sami in the drug induced haze, and they were like shards of glass piercing her heart. Brandon was here, telling her how he would cherish the night they had spent, and she could only feel a burning shame and regret. Willing herself to not respond to his words, she stayed in the haze, there was nothing he could say to her to make her want to acknowledge him being there. How would EJ ever be able to forgive her? How would she be able to forgive herself?

**Chapter XI**

"Samantha, this leg looks right as rain..you have done everything right in taking care of it..you too EJ, your wife can probably walk out of here with just a crutch, but in a week or so, even the crutch won't be needed.' Doctor Lelands words to EJ and Samantha had two reactions.

Sami Wells had grown quiet and pensive. Once the cast had been sawed off, and the exam showed she was healed perfectly, the smile she had been wearing since coming into the office was replaced by a worried look with a furrowed brow.

EJ, on the other hand was like a kid with a new puppy! This was working out so perfectly now. He had called Tippin to bring down the suitcases he had already packed, and the reservation at Green Mountain Lodge was all set. They would be getting the room they had shared on their honeymoon, with the fireplace and the redwood hot tub that was on the veranda under the stars. The time that had passed while she had healed had been quietly companionable between them, but he missed the passion that was so much a part of their life together. Since the night of the quarrel, til now had been the longest eight weeks of his life!

"Now, we will want you back for some physical therapy to make sure the muscles in the leg build up, but for now, most activities are fine"..

Having caught the question in EJ's eyes, the doctor winked and said "Yes, even that!"

Sami knew she could not keep her secret much longer now. EJ had been so kind to her, carrying her about the house, not letting anyone disturb her. All the while she knew she had betrayed him in the worst way a wife could betray a husband. She knew before he took her to his bed, he had to know what she had done. If he could forgive her they could go forward, but she could not revert to being the person she had been before EJ. He always told her true love listens, and true love forgives. She was going to find out if he meant it.

Thinking back to that night, she still did not know why she would have done such a thing. All she could come up with was that her anger at EJ was still bubbling, and this was how she had taken her revenge. Except now she was so sorry..so very sorry. His forgiveness was all that could make it right, but to get that, she would have to confess what she had done to him, and that was going to be the hardest thing she had ever attempted to do.

"EJ, where are we going? You missed the turnoff!" As the car sped up, heading out to the countryside she saw his smile spread until it was an open mouthed grin showing all the even white teeth in that lovely mouth.

"I thought we needed that couple of days away you had set up for us, back before the accident". EJ had taken the call on her cell phone and was told of her original surprise plans for him. He had been touched, and vowed they would do it as soon as she was released from the Doctors care.

"I have the original menu you wanted. Except it is all of my favorites, so I put in a couple of items for you too darling. The wines and champagnes are the ones you wanted, but I took the liberty of ordering the flowers for you. I am going to shower you with attention, affection, and tender loving care my sweet!"

Normally she would have thought it was the most wonderful surprise in the world, but now it only added to her inner turmoil. When she told him, and she knew she had to tell him, would he walk out of that room..turning his back on her? All these weeks she had lain in the narrow bed downstairs, next to his. There had been times she had wanted to ask him to move her into his bed so she would be able to spoon herself against him, but besides the awkwardness of the cast, was the awkwardness of how she felt with the knowledge she was holding from him.

Now she wished she had told him during that time. At least she would have held the higher ground with the sympathy factor, but with the cast removed, she had ceded that ground.

He waited for her to say something, and she could not keep the strained silence any longer without making him ask her what was wrong.

"Green Mountain Lodge, that sounds wonderful..just wonderful.." her words and her eyes did not match in emotion, and he noticed right away.

"Look, if you don't think you feel up to it, I know the cast just got off, but I thought a little time alone together would be so good for us. We have not had much of a chance to talk, much less anything else. I wanted to talk to you in Chicago, but..you kind of messed that idea up love!" his voice kidded her, but she tensed at the mention of Chicago.

"Hey, what's wrong? Relax, take a nap. Let me wake you when we get there ok?"

Sami nodded, then closed her eyes. She did not want him to ask her any more questions or to mention Chicago again. She would have to find the right time to tell him, and in an automobile going eighty miles an hour on a twisted road was not the time or place.

"Hey, we're here", EJ was gently shaking her knee then leaning across the car to kiss her lips. When she opened her eyes to return the kiss, she saw how happy he looked, and again she felt the waves of remorse and guilt.

The bell man helped take the bags to the honeymoon suite, and when he had entered with the bags, he turned to take his tip from the hand of EJ. Sami had been swept up in his arms to cross over the threshold, and EJ had put the bill between his teeth for her to hand over to the laughing hotel worker.

"I think you both are gonna have a wonderful stay, and if you need anything else, my name is Oliver, and all you gotta do is ring!"

EJ let his eyes sweep the room. The serving cart with the silver hooded tray was in the room, buckets of ice with four bottles of champagne, a nice red bottle of red wine, lilacs and roses strewn about the room, and the four poster bed which had rose and lilac petals spread over the satiny sheets.

"Here, darling, I want you to put this on..I have always wanted to see you in something like this!"as he pulled it out of the bag, he gave a low sexy growl...

When Sami saw the flimsy camisole with the yellow ribbon that tied it together at the top, along with the tiny thong panty that it matched, her hand went to her mouth, and the room began to sway.

"Samantha!" EJ rushed to catch her as she fainted!

**Chapter XII**

Her eyelids fluttered as she became aware of lying down in a bed fragrant of lavender and roses. EJ was bent over her, his face a mass of concern as he wiped her cheeks and forehead with the damp cloth.

'Hey, glad to see you back..I guess the long ride kind of did you in..I am so sorry, maybe I should have waited a few days" he was looking at her with such a tender expression it brought the first tear to her eyes. Tears she had been holding back since he had come into the hospital room with all four kids, and the souped up wheelchair he had surprised her with years ago in Salem.

"No, EJ, I am glad you did not wait. We do need to talk about some things..maybe after we eat, I am a little hungry."Truth was, she did not really have an appetite, but she did need something to fortify herself with, and looking at the table with the champagne, she knew she wanted a drink quickly! Her hands took up the bottle of champagne, and she gave it over to him to open.

"Of course, darling, but first things first," and once again he handed her the lingerie to put on. "There is a robe here that matches it", and he let her have the satin pale yellow robe to cover up with. "I have dreamed of seeing you wearing this for me!"

His eyes were warm, and loving as he looked at her, and she could not find it in her to protest at all. Taking the feathery sheer scraps of material, she headed into the bathroom.

A few minutes later she emerged and she heard his intake of breath.

"You look like an angel"His eyes traveled from her feet encased in the pale yellow mule slippers to the satin robe that skimmed just at mid thigh. Even though she had it tied at the waist, the v of the neckline only emphasized the thrust of her proud breasts. He could make out the outline of the hip strap of the panty, but when she turned to show him the whole outfit, he grinned to see the panty line was non existent. The ribbon tying the camisole together beckoned for him to loosen it up, but he knew he must feed her first! He wanted her to have all her strength for the night to come!

"Let me get a little more comfortable too..I have served the oysters up, just the way you like them..the sauce is there too. And of course, champagne!" he handed her over a glass, and smiled in approval as she took a healthy gulp.

Sami watched in trepidation as he stripped in front of her down to his black satin boxer briefs. She knew the moment of truth was coming closer and closer and she still did not know how she was going to find the words to tell him of her sin. To want him so badly while fearing so much what he would do or say once she confesses was killing her. Then he turned back to her, and began to walk to her with a slow, almost hypnotic pace. He never took his eyes off hers, and she felt her knees go weak once more!

"Easy, sweet, easy!" His arms reached out to bring her to his chest, steadying her hand with the champagne glass.."Why are you so nervous? What is wrong love?'

Her face screwed up then, and he saw with alarm she was going to cry..oh no..this was not what he wanted the night to end up as..another fight or guilt trip on him or her!

"EJ, I have done something awful and I am so sooooooorrrreeeeee"..her voice stretched out on the last word as the tears came in torrents!

Now he was worried,"Hey, Samantha, please , don't cry, tell me, you know you can tell me anything..what is is darling?"

He fished a handkerchief from his suit coat, and wiped at her eyes, but the tears soon soaked it, and she still was weeping. Finally, gulping for a bit of air, she began her tale.

"EJ, the night I was hurt in Chicago, I did something..I don't know why, or how, but I..I..oh God, EJ I cheated on you with Brandon Walker!"

His look of perplexity to her was just his way of not being willing to believe what she was saying. So she began to blurt out more of the story.

"I woke up, and I found I was almost naked EJ..and I heard the shower running. I went to the door and I looked in and I saw him showering in there. I wasn't even in my own room, my clothes were gone and I was wearing practically nothing! I swear, I don't know how it happened. I knew I had to get out of there before he came out of the shower. I was so ashamed, I still am. I must have had too much to drink or something. That is why I left the hotel, I was going to go stay with Mildred until my head cleared up! I must have been so upset I didn't pay attention and I got hit by the cab! EJ, please, can you forgive me for this..I swear, I will never do anything like that again, oh please, just don't leave me!"

EJ grew very quiet and very still before he began to speak, "You know Samantha, I suppose I should have let you know everything that happened that night, and you would not be suffering like this. Then there is also the fact you have suffered with this on your mind when you did not have to. I wish you had confessed to me at first, instead of worrying yourself like this all these weeks".

He went to her, and pulled her to him by the belt of her robe, and began to untie it. "I know everything that happened with you and Brandon"

.Once the robe was untied, he began to kiss her neck, then swirled light kisses at the whorl of her ears. His hand spread the robe apart, and he looked down at her, drinking in the sight of the camisole, liking the sight of the ribbons slight trembling.

"You were given a drug, commonly known as a Rophy by one of his friends..Brandon did not know about it" he now was undoing the yellow ribbon which held the camisole together with his mouth as he mumbled on.

"It was not Brandon in the shower, it was me. Kacie made Nanny call me on my cell as she was trying to warn me you might be in trouble."

Sami was listening to him, wanting to believe him, but waiting for him to show anger for her other betrayal. The betrayal of not trusting him, but her only reassurance was his drugging kisses that stilled her fears.

The ribbon was now untied, and he sent his hand in to hold a second over her heart, reveling in the strong steady beat that was there now. He used his palms to stroke her, until she thrust herself at him, in the age old way of womanhood to urge him on.

He picked her up, carrying her quickly to the bed and lying her down on the fragrance of the petals. This need was too urgent to be a relaxed session of lovemaking, and he bent to use his teeth and mouth to lift the straps of the skimpy panties and pull them down, then coming onto her as her legs opened up in welcome to him.

"Are you still awake?" her whisper came to him as he held her in the cage of his arms, stroking her face with a gentle restrained power.

'Yes, what is it"? he leaned up to look down upon her.

"I love you, and I know you would never do anything to harm me or the kids..I know that..but would it be possible."She hesitated, and he waited for her to finish.

"I want to find Mom, and make sure Stefano is what she wants"

EJ knew soon Samantha would ask for that, and he knew he could not say no to her, though it would be better if he could have.

**Chapter XIII**

EJ tried the gentler way of waking her up, but Sami was determined not to respond to ear and neck nibbles by him. His penchant for rising before seven a.m had been the one thing in the marriage that she would have listed in a grounds for divorce paper if she had been forced to name the worst fault he had.

"Wake up, wake up, I have a surprise for you."his whispers and light kisses in her ear, while his hands began to caress her bare tummy and sides were starting to have the desired effect as she began to squirm and moan slightly at his touch.

"EJ, please, I will be just as surprised in an hour, now let me sleep..you wore me out last night!"

"Samantha, I waited for two months to make love to you, I really think I should get a pass for that...but I will let you know, that myth about cold showers is just that, a silly myth. All it took to teach me that was one...then I decided no use torturing myself with chills as well as horni...well you know!"

Giving up, she turned to his embrace with her eyes open and smiling with delight. "Okay then, surprise me!"

Throwing the covers off of them both, he picked her up and carried her out onto the veranda of the room. The entire patio area was fenced, and festooned in the most fragrant star jasmine cascading down the brick walls. . In the center sat the huge redwood hot tub, with the jets were running full blast, the steam rising up in rolling clouds with the chilly morning air. He carried her up the stairs, then just put one long leg down into the water, carrying her in with him then seating them both in the warmth of the water.

"Ummm,,,this does feel good..I was a little sore after last.." she did not finish the sentence as EJ was bending down to cover her mouth with a deep and urgent kiss. When he stopped, he was looking into her eyes, searching for something there that he was hoping to see from her once again.

"It feels so good to be with you again like this EJ, I can't even bear to think about what I said to you when we quarreled..I know you have no control over how Stefano thinks, or why Doctor LaDierma and John would do what they did to my mother."

With those words, EJ saw the trust and love he had worried had been lost from their union. He knew they would always have passion, but for it to be lasting, the mortar holding their wall together had to be based on trust and love.

"Samantha, I promise you, we will find Marlena and see what her choice is, but no matter what her choice is, I love you, I will stand by you, I will fight your fight! All I need to know is you feel the same about me..."his hand captured hers, bringing her fingers to his lips, as he stroked the soft inside of her wrist and arm.

She shivered from the sensations, but used her hands to hold his face between them, as she looked deeply into the warm velvet brown tones of his eyes.

"You are the only person who has ever accepted me for who and what I am. Some of it is good, some bad, some in between, but you have loved it all. So yes, I love you also, and I will fight your fight by your side, no matter what happens, I know you are the one who will always stand by me. You will protect me, you will protect the children. I should have known you would for you always have!" then her lips found his , and she pressed her body to his, offering more than just words now!

His groan of wanting her excited her as much as his usual endearments of love. This was raw and powerful, as he lifted her in the water and settled her down astride his lap. Her arms encircled his neck and he pulled her to him, as closely as was possible, and when the age old dance of love took hold of the two of them, Sami's head was thrown back with her neck offered up to his kisses, while her senses reeled to the rhythm of his lovemaking. Both of them demanded and gave to the other what they asked for, both in words and body language, until the moment came that they both felt the release of the tension and ecstasy they sought!

He took the towel to dry her back, and offered her the robe he had left out earlier. She reciprocated and followed as he went back into the room. Room service had been with breakfast, and the table was set with fresh coffee, pastries, fruit, bagels, too much food really, but Sami ran to it, taking a strawberry in her mouth and turning to EJ with a teasing look. Of course he took the other half from her mouth, both of them laughing as the juice dribbled down their face. It was then a race to see who would lick it off the other first, but EJ cheated a bit. Since he was stronger, he just had to hold her face still, and let his height advantage take over. There was also the fact that she soon just gave over to the rush of her senses with EJ, wanting the feel of him doing what he was doing just because it felt so good!

Breakfast took a bit longer than EJ had scheduled for, since the strawberry caper soon ended up with the fruits being used for unintended purposes.

"My love, you are just too inventive! However, since most of this does usually end up on the pages of your book, I should say we could probably write this whole weekend off as research!" EJ lay back on the floor, laughing at the way she had just made him into a sexual fruit salad!

"EJ, I always use fictitious names to protect the guilty, but yes, I think I will inform the accountant that all our out of town invoices involve research expense! Good thinking!"

When they finally had the energy to stand, they dressed and went out to walk the grounds. This was the place they had shared the short honeymoon. It was also where the first salvo had been fired in the Kirakis-DiMera wars..the war was on hold for a bit, but EJ and Sami knew so much was still in the pot. Old wounds would now reopen, new wounds would come. And once again, they would be facing and fighting enemies as one!

(authors note: ok I gave you the romance (aka sex) ..now I have to get back to the original plot line of this story.. I have to ask is "was it good for you?"

**Chapter XIV**

The library in the medical center was a hive of information, and Brandon knew how to access all of it. It took him only a few minutes to look up all information accessible for Doctor Antonia LaDierma, and less time than that to figure out that she was nothing but an impostor. It was obvious to anyone that looked close enough that her credentials were simply copied and pasted over other peoples, the letters of reference were done the same way. So if he could figure this out, why was Salem University Hospital so easily taken in? They must have wanted to be, and was it not convenient that both Victor Kirakis and EJ Wells had prominent positions on the board of that institution.

He looked over the offer of employment he had obtained from Salem University Hospital over six months ago. It seemed to him then it might be good to get back to Salem, and take Spencer with him. He thought Lucy might be willing to go with him, and maybe a change would be good for her too. Too many memories of Adrianna were here in this town, but he still wanted someplace familiar. His mind having been made up, he called the department head in Salem to ask if the position was still open. It was, and from that moment, it was only a matter of tying up some loose ends. Once in Salem, he also planned to help Samantha. The story of her mother and what had gone in the hospital was legendary now in the mental health fields. So many articles were being written on security issues, and the ability of a patient to decide for or against any treatment.

Either she would find her husband was an innocent DiMera, or she would come to see his true colors. To Brandon this was a way of atonement for what she had done to her and the pain he had caused her in the past. He remembered his demand for an annulment to the marriage and how she had begged for another chance. His pride and anger had made him decide in haste, then when he had second thoughts it was too late again, and she was in love with Lucas. He knew that would never last, but he needed to get on with his life. Adrianna came at just the right time, but she had died at the most wrong time. He had been happy, they had a son..and plans to buy the house in the suburbs. Perfection, and it had all gone to hell with one doctors visit over a slight back ache and some stomach pains. Six months later, she had died in his arms.

"And just why do you think it would be a good idea to go back to Salem now?"Lucy was looking at Brandon over the rim of her coffee cup. She was not against the idea, just wanted more reasons than he had given for uprooting them to the small town he had resisted going back to before.

"I want to know more about what happened to my father, I want to see Lexie, and Theo again, he is my brother, and Spencers uncle. My Mom is there, and she is getting up in years, so I should be there for her since Nicole is not. Lots of reasons, Lucy, lots of reasons."

"None of them having to do with that Sami person I hope!"Lucy had heard the story too.

"Samantha is an old friend now, one I would like to see again. But no, she is very much in love with EJ Wells. He may not be good enough for her by half, but for whatever reason, she does love him."

"Just see you don't get too friendly, but yes, it would be nice to see your mother again, I could use the friendship too!"

With the help of Lucy, Brandon began to get the ball rolling for the move back to Salem.

Antonia LaDierma was quite settled into her post as Clinic Director. She had stepped into Marlenas shoes quite easily, even finding that some on staff had more respect for her than had ever been given to Doctor Evans. The Womens Empowerment Program Marlena had campaigned for but never got off the ground enough to get funding for was now meeting twice weekly, with an evening and daytime session, going so well it had a waiting list for both classes. Antonia had gotten it off the ground within a month of Marlena leaving town with Stefano DiMera.

John, though was starting to be a problem. Giving him more drugs was not the answer, and he balked now at the hypno therapy. Sex was now the only weapon she had for controlling him, and it was getting tiresome to her. Raphael was now openly scornful of John, but with his present state, John was no longer the man he had once been. Kristen felt badly about that actually, she had wanted him so badly she had changed him so he would love her, but she did not love the changes she had made. The old John who had fought for her was the one she wanted, but she knew that John would want Marlena. The old adage of be careful what you wish for had come true for her.

"How long Kristen, how long?"

"What are you talking about Raphael, don't talk in riddles, you know it annoys me!" Kristen was hanging an expensive oil painting by a promising new artist in her living room. It was an abstract done by Lyonsfame, a work so complicated and intricate, Kristen had debated for a week before deciding she had to have it!

When John had seen it, his only reaction had been to ask why the center was bright yellow. Raphael had looked at it and saw at once why it appealed to her.

"The confusion is your inner turmoil now isn't it?..You have everything you thought you ever wanted, and you still feel empty inside. I know how that can eat at you, as I have the same feelings at times." Raphael leaned back into the chair, sipping his scotch and soda.

"He can be taught you know, none of us appreciate the finer things until we learn about them. I can be his teacher!"

He looked at her, up and down, finally settling his gaze on her finely planed cheekbones, which he then took between his thumb and forefinger. "No..my dear..that is not what you long for, you want someone who commands you, and John will never be that man!"

The opera music playing from the stateroom down the hall was all it took to bring a sublime smile to Marlenas sleeping countenance. He was awake, she knew, and was waiting on her to come to him. She sat up on the side of the bed, taking the satin robe from the bed post and slipping it on to tie around her. Then she slipped down the hall to the room where Bart was entering the codes to bring Stefano to full alertness.

"Good morning my dear, did you sleep well?"

"Oh yes" she said in that breathless voice he had dreamt about and was so fond of. She moved to sit by him, stroking his face with a tender motion. It had taken so long to finally realize this was what she had wanted all this time. To be with the one man in the world who saw every flaw in her, and wanted to uncover more of them. Living a life as a virtual saint had left many vulnerabilities in her psyche. They had been exploited at one time by Stefano, Tony, and not so long ago, Alex North. Now she was here with the one who appreciated her for who and what she was, with no pretenses, no walls. All she wanted to be was the cotton candy doll who only wanted to live in the moment of perfection created by Stefano. Now that is what she was.

"Boss..uh..you know..I had a thought" Bart was always nervous around Stefano first thing in the morning..but since Marlena was here, things had been much easier.

"You had a thought? Tell me, was it painful?" Stefano laughed at his little jest, before gesturing to Bart to finish his speech.

"I think we should let the other one go back to Salem now..Marlena seems happy enough here with us, and she is cured! She would really be able to live a normal life now!"

"You know, Bart, that is a most splendid idea. That one has never wronged a DiMera, but it would surely give old Kirakis a jolt!" Stefano smiled and went into his best imitation of his old evil laugh he could manage. Even Marlena laughed at it, as it seemed such a parody now. This man was as gentle as a spring breeze, and he would never hurt anyone!


	2. Chapter 2

**Spades and Clubs**

**Prologue: EJ Wells is now facing the biggest challenge of his life. The woman he has loved with a passion that could never be quenched is now questioning their life together. So much has been taken from her, but he must show her how much has been given as well. **

**Chapter 1**

A week of Samantha sleeping in the guest room had not improved the mood of EJ in any way shape or form. Then at breakfast that morning she had reminded him of something that he had let slip his mind.

"I have to go to Chigago to meet with Mildred about the new book, and the screenplay writer as well. Nanny is aware of everything on the kids schedules, so while I am gone it should be no problem to you at all. My flight is leaving at four o'clock, so I won't be here when they come home from school.. Please make sure you check their homework after dinner."

Her voice in front of the children was calm and polite, but they all noticed the difference in the way their parents were acting. . Justin was used to having to choke back his embarrassment at the way his parents kissed or hugged each other. He often averted his eyes when he saw his dad's hand pat his mother's bottom. It just did not seem right that parents could behave that way! Now, though, he found himself missing it.

Jessica of course, always egged them on! She loved it when Dad made Mom giggle! Ace could sense the distance between them, and all his old insecurities surfaced as his behavior turned back to the dark side. Kacie took the brunt of it from him, as he had three times that morning been scolded for hitting her, finally being sent to a long time out by Nanny.

EJ had taken Samantha's news with little expression showing on his face. Afterwards, he called to cancel the reservations he had made at the Salem Inn, the bank of roses he had arranged were sent to a local hospital, and the violin players were told to forget it, he would send them their check anyway. He said nothing to Samantha, figuring his big apology and begging for her forgiveness would wait for a few days. However, the people who worked for him were going to be in for a very bad day!

As Sami was packing up, Kacie came to stand in the doorway, her little face pensive. She twirled one of her hated pigtails around her finger as she watched her mother gather up things for the case.

"Mommy..the pool fairy is gonna come home soon. Daddy is gonna bring her home. I dreamed it last night. So when the pool fairy comes back, you won't be mad at Daddy anymore huh?"Kacie had never quite got the connection of Marlena being the pool fairy..to her, they were separate entities. One was the distant grandmother she faintly remembered from a different life, and the other was the winsome lady of the pool, who was so happy to be set free!

"Oh..baby, listen..no matter what you see, your Daddy and I love all of you so much! After I get back from my business trip, I promise you, Daddy and I are going to work on what has been worrying you! In fact, I am going to make some arrangements right now!"

Sami had been preoccupied enough that she really did not zero in on what Kacie had said about Daddy bringing the pool fairy home..later, as she was landing at O'Hare, she

"Hello, reservations please..yes, I would like to reserve a room with a fireplace, for next Friday, the fifteenth..a outdoor hottub with the room would be great! I will fax you over the dinner I want sent in, with the wines and champagnes..This is Samantha Brady Wells..and please, I want this to be a surprise, so contact me at this number. I am going to be out of town for a few days" as she closed her cell phone, she smiled at Kacie.

"Honey, Mommy and Daddy just need a little time to talk to each other, privately"

"Yeah, Mommy, you talk to Daddy in the hot tub..I dreamed it all too!"

Rather than pursue what was in the dream, Sami decided to quickly change that subject. Kacie and her dreams were sometimes too much on the mark. She decided instead to call EJ, and maybe show him a softer side. Sleeping in the guest room had not given her any joy either.

"I am sorry Mrs. Wells, Mr. Wells is out of the office for a couple of hours. He had a luncheon engagement."

"Never mind, I will call him on his cell" as she punched in his auto dial code, she wondered if he would answer. He didn't the voice mail came on. She did not leave a message, she would call him later from Chicago.

"Well, sweetie, I will have to call Daddy later, you tell him I tried to call him before I left ok?"

"Sure Mommy, now can you tell Ace he needs to come out of the closet? He been hiding in there all day long, not playing nice with me at all!"

Wiping her hands on her skirt, Sami headed for the closet that Ace liked to hole up in when he was having one of his "days". It was the same closet she had long ago used as a sanctuary to think about Will. His things were still in there, but she no longer regarded them as shrines, that were not to be disturbed. She found she enjoyed seeing his action figures played with, lined up in their feights of derring do by Justin and Ace. It made the memory of Will more real, so it did not fade away to a distant part of her mind. When she opened the door, she found Ace huddled in the corner, and as she pulled him away, he did not fight her as he sometimes did, but clutched at her in a sort of desperate way.

"Ace, honey..what is the matter?"

"I don't want you to leave us". He was simple and direct, Ace was not given to complicated reasoning. He usually just wanted what he wanted.

"Ace, come on, you know I would never leave you..I would never leave any of you at all!"

His blue eyes so much like her own and Jessica's were extracting a promise from her. Without saying a word, he was letting her know, he wanted her back in every way with his father. He wanted them to sleep in the same room, kiss and hug in the morning in front of all of them until they turned away in embarrassment...in short he wanted things the way he was used to and secure in.

Now Sami saw the harm she had done her family in not working things out in private with EJ. This trip had to happen, but she promised herself and Ace when she got back she would begin to mend the fence that her family wanted to protect them.

**Chapter II**

The cab ride into the Loop found Sami looking out the window, trying to avoid the presence of her ever steady bodyguard. His job was to protect her, but she also knew it was to report on her every move back to EJ, and that was sometimes a suffocating prospect. She jumped out when the cab stopped at the building on Roosevelt Avenue facing Lake Michigan, running in, leaving Earl to pay the fare, and try to catch up.

Earl was not having a great day either. His stomach was beginning to rumble, the result of a very bad hot dog he had scarfed at the airport. Mrs. Wells had arranged a late evening meeting and dinner with her agent, and he would be expected to tag along, but be invisible. He was worried about the invisible part if he would be heading to the bathroom every ten minutes.

"Have a seat here Earl, man you don't look so good..listen..just go across the street to the hotel. Nothing is going to happen, we are having the meeting here, then will go to the hotel restaurant for dinner. You are sick.."Sami was so concerned about Earl, she placed her palm against his forehead.

"You are burning up! You need to get to bed right away!" She was taking no argument from him, and he was almost too weak to give her any, but he still tried.

"Mr. Wells will.."

"He will hear from me, and I will explain how ill you are! Now go! You look as if you are about to...ahhhhhhhh nooooo!..." but it was too late, as his churning stomach decided it could no longer keep the contents inside. He looked ashamed, but a bit relieved when he had finished, and Mildred was on the phone calling the janitorial service.

"Don't say another word, Mrs. Wells, I am so sorry..but you're right, I do need to be in bed. Now please, promise me you are just gonna have dinner and go right up to bed..you know EJ will have my hide if he thinks I didn't do my job with you!" trembling hands reached for the water being held out to him by Mildred, and he looked beseechingly at Sami, as if to get her word that she would not make his job any more difficult.

"Don't be silly, Earl, get to bed. Mildred and I will finish up here, then go to dinner, after that, I will be straight to bed..promise!" and at the time Sami meant every word.

The waiter brought the two laughing women two more of the glasses of Chardonnay they were drinking, but since neither of them had ordered another they had a question in their eyes. He smiled and pointed to the gentleman standing at the bar, and when she saw him, Sami had the gasp and shock of recognition. Brandon Walker was at the bar, tipping his glass to her, and giving that killer smile she had once melted in. He was with several friends who seemed to be guffawing at him and his efforts to catch the beautiful blondes eye.

Now he was walking towards her, and Mildred was trying to read the look on Sami's face. She did look pleased to see the young man, and when the introduction to her was made, she knew immediately this was Wyatt Brinkley, the character in the book that Sabrina had loved at one time, but had never really been in love with.

He took Samis hand in his, and when he used the familiar name "Samantha", she wondered why it sounded strange to hear this from any mans lips except EJ's. He bent down to kiss her cheek, then turned to await his being introduced to the dignified, and handsome woman sitting with Samantha.

"Mildred Wallace, this is Brandon Walker, a very old ..uh friend".

"Mr. Walker, charmed ..actually, I have heard so much about you from Sami, I feel as if I know all about you already!" as she eyed him up and down, remembering how Sami had described all his physical attributes in her book, she was not being untruthful.

"Yes, well, I have read some of her books, so I can see how you might see things that way" Brandon smiled and winked, but all Sami could do was blush prettily, then invite him to join them.

"Well, I can stay for a drink, but I have to make it home, it looks like quite a thunderstorm brewing up outside!"

The flashes of lightning over the lake were illuminating the water, with the boom and rumble coming close behind. The storm was just gearing up, but with the next flash, the entire thirty floors of the building were thrown into complete blackness!

"This is not good, " Brandon was taking out his cell phone to make a call, but found he had no service.

"Sometimes these lake storms do this to the cell service, may I borrow yours?" Sami reached into her purse and handed over her phone, thinking when he was finished, she would try and call EJ.

Mildred took a sip of the wine, and surveyed the developing situation. Sami was talking to Brandon like an old friend, but Brandon was looking at Sami like she was a very special old friend. One he had sorely missed.

His demeanor did not even change when Sami brought out the wallet pictures of her children. Brandon wore a gold band on his left ring finger, but he did not seem to want to bring out any reciprocal pictures. He just looked at hers, occasionally asking a question about one of them. The small snap shot of her and EJ and their wedding was the one he gazed at the longest.

"So this is the famous EJ Wells, race driver, man of the world, and seemingly now, the one controlling the entire DiMera Organization. You have done well for yourself Samantha!"but the look in his eyes said it all. You did well but did you do good?

Brandon felt he was still in a position to judge her. However, now she was not in the same position she had been in all those years ago. . There was a definite power exchange now. He was still involved in his social work, but she was now a millionaire in her own right. It was not EJ's money or position or power that gave the air of confidence. It was knowing she had accomplished all of this on her own.

Mildred took all of this in, amused at the way Brandon seemed to assume to know Sami so well. Maybe one time that was so, but now he was speaking with a woman who had taken on a master criminal organization to rescue her child, and the infant of a close friend, created an international incident involving a prison break of a spy,

Sami herself had begun to grow impatient with how Brandon was speaking to her, the more wine he drank, the more condescending he became. This was reminiscent of the way he had seemed to her on the day he had demanded their marriage be annulled. Once again, she had disappointed a man she loved, and he had deserted her.

"So Samantha..how did you get one of the top literary agents in the Chicago publishing field to look at your work?"his voice let it be known he felt she had used the pull of the DiMera power machine.

"She wrote a good story, Mr. Walker, it had all the elements that catch a modern womans eye for romance and mystery!"with that, Mildred decided it was time for her to go. She had a short walk to her apartment, but since it was so dark, she wanted to leave before the crowds milling about dissappated and she was walking alone. Sami protested that she should not go out in this weather alone, but Mildred simply reached into her bag, pulling out the fold up umbrella she kept in there for situations like these.

"Don't be silly, I walk home from the office many many nights on my own..it is a great neighborhood, and there are lots of police patrolling on foot out there. You two stay on here and finish up your visit."and Mildred picked up her purse, kissed Sami's cheek and walked out.

Seeing the older woman walk out was the signal Brandons friends had waited on, and they both came to join them at the table. Now Sami was just a bit uncomfortable, having a drink with Brandon while Mildred sat with them seemed quite proper. But to be having a third glass of wine with Brandon, along with a couple more males who seemed to be close to sloshed on the drunkenness scale did not feel proper.

Just as she was about to give her regrets and her goodbye, the friend known by the name of Frank knocked into her, and the purse in her lap spilled on the floor. She bent down to retrieve it, and as she did, Frank opened the small capsule into her drink. Brandon was helping her with the purse, and was quite unaware of what his friend had done.

Frank slapped Brandon on the back, gave a sly smile to the other friend George, and then they stood up to leave together.

"Brandon, you just enjoy the rest of the night..George and I will just take the train..you come on when you feel like it. The trains are back on schedule, so I'll just have Mary pick us up at the Willamette Station. You drive back when you and the little lady are finished up with..." He winked slyly, then added "your unfinished business".

**Chapter III**

EJ had tried four times to reach Sami on her phone. Finally, he had tried Earls, irritated at how long it had taken the man to answer.

"Mr. Wells..yes..um..I am sorry, Sami is not with me now".Earl waited a moment for what he knew was coming, but what happened was a surprise to him.

"Earl..do I pay you to stay with Samantha at all times when she is out of town?"

"Yes sir, and I would be with her right now, except I am dying from ptomaine poisoning, and she made me come up to bed. She is down in the restaurant having dinner with Mrs. Wallace..and she promised to come right up to bed when she finished."

"I see, you are sick. You should have called me, I would have sent out a replacement"

"I know Mr. Wells, but I just felt so bad..oh god.."Earl ran once again to the toiliet carrying the phone with him and EJ was treated to the delightful sounds of Earl retching into the commode once again.

"Why didn't you just call me?"EJ was thumping his forefinger on his knee in impatience.

"Mr. Wells, did you check your office messages?"

"No, did you leave one?"

"Six, and I called your cell phone too..did you check those messages?"

EJ looked at his phone, seeing it had no bars indicating any service.

"Earl, I am landing at O'Hare in forty minutes, I am planning on surprising Samantha! And I will send in some security right now..I have a couple of contacts in Chicago! Go on back to bed..I will have this arranged within a half hour. Do you have a card key to Samanthas room?"

"Of course I do Boss!" Earl was glad he had done something correctly."I will call down to the desk and have someone come up and get it for you. I will put it in an envelope and let them know you will be picking it up!"

It would be midnight before he landed, but it should only be fifteen minutes to the hotel. His make up gift was in his briefcase, and he pulled it out to look at it once again. The luster of the pearl necklace was going to be even more beautiful against the neck of Samantha. The earrings in her jewel case would go perfect with these, and he had brought along a little something else he wanted her to wear.

He pulled it out of the Victoria Secrets bag, and shook it out to look at it once more time. The camisole and panty set was white lace, with only a pale yellow ribbon that tied it together at the bustline. Wanting to see it full length, he stood and placed it against his chest.

When Harris came out of the galley where he had been fixing himself a sandwich, the sight of EJ with the wisp of a piece of material laid against the wide expanse of chest, and the little panty dangling from the end of his forefinger, Harris shook his head in disbelief.

"EJ, I really don't think you are gonna fit in that, no matter how many of those cleansing fasts you go on!"

"Shut up, I want an honest opinion, do you think she will like it?"

"Do you like it is what is important EJ, she ain't wearing it for other people to appraise."

"Yes, you're right..and yes, I do rather like it..can't wait to see it on her, and off."

"Now you're making me blush, EJ, but I wish you well" Harris had already done his groveling to Chandler, promising to never ever keep secrets from her as long as she promised never to ask him anything. It seemed like an equitable way to make up, and he gave a smile as he remembered their ETA sex.

"We had a terrible argument Harris, this one was not like anything else we have ever disagreed on. She blamed me for the way Stefano let all of this stuff we have been through happen..but you and I both know there was nothing I could do to stop any of it. All I want to do is hold onto my family, whatever it takes!"

EJ had it worked out, he was going to demand that Samantha listen to him, he was going to force her to be still while he told her what she meant to him. If it took going down on his knees she was going to hear him out! Then he would make love to her, whatever pain she had, he was going to use his body to heal her with. He would give her back the peace she had thought stolen. In other ways too. but first he had to know they were together again.

The whine of the engine hitting the reverse was what brought EJ out of his brief nap. He had given Harris a couple of days to check on things in Canada. Specifically Abe Carver. Now that the council was out of the picture, it may be time to let Abe come up..he hoped so. He knew Theo was missing the influence of a father, even one as spineless as Abe. But it might not be as bad as it seemed. There were some elements of programming that had been done to help Abe regain what was now laughingly called a man badge in the organization.

Once the plane landed, EJ quickly took his garment bag, and his briefcase, and headed out to where his limo awaited. Checking his watch he saw that it was a quarter to one, so he was just about on the timeline he had worked out. The Sheraton Hotel was nice, but he wanted the best, so he had called ahead to get a different room. The suite featured a hot tub that looked out on the lake. He had been in luck, as it was free for the night, and only eleven hundred dollars! He planned on collecting the key to Samantha's room, then surprising her as he carried her from the room to the elevator, to the top floor and a night and morning filled with romance!

**Chapter IV**

Brandon and Sami faced each other across the table as she nervously sipped the wine. Once his friends had gone Brandon seemed to change once again back to the kind friend he had once been to her. When he no longer had a need to impress anyone he relaxed, talking about his mom, his dads present condition, and asking about Salem.

When he brought up the subject of Will, to say how sorry he had been when he heard, she was genuinely glad they had run into each other. He had helped her in her fight for Will so long ago, not just in Italy, but when Lucas had tried to turn the small boy against her. It was easy to remember why she had loved him. The time started to fly then, as they reminisced. up to and including the day when they had woken up together in bed with Lucas pounding on the door.

"You know, Samantha, I knew we had been set up, and I probably could have proved it..but you know what? Honestly I wanted you and Lucas to stop..I wanted you to give me another look..but I suppose I had already blown that with you, right?"

" That is water under the bridge, and maybe everything just works out for the best anyway..I am very happy..in fact I am going to call EJ when I get back to the room and have him come join me for the night tomorrow!" Why wait until Green Mountain Lodge she figured..there was bound to be a room with a hot tub at the Sheraton!

"I see you are also wearing a wedding band Brandon, how long have you been married? Who is she? Any kids?" smiling, she now wanted to know what had gone on in his life, and was eager to do the catching up as she sipped a little more wine. It seemed to have gotten warmer in the room, and she found concentrating a little difficult.

"Samantha, I was married, six years. Her name was Adrianna. She died a year ago, ovarian cancer" Brandon got the words out, not choking as he had any other time he had to give this information out. With Sami he was feeling comfortable enough to know he could tear up if he felt the need.

"Brandon, oh, how awful for you.."Sami choked at the thought of ever losing EJ to death, she would die herself.

"Yes, it was awful, it still is. We have a son," Brandon fished out his wallet to show a pixture of a dark haired boy of about three. "His name is Spencer. Right now he is with Adrianna's mother. My job involves a lot of travel now, so he needs a stable home. I go there every weekend and stay with him. It is great, cuts down on my social life, but he has to come first!"

"He..he's oh my..I feel dizzy..I better not have any more of that wine!" Sami was slurring her words, which concerned Brandon.

"You don't look well Samantha..let me help you up to your room, I would like to maybe have lunch with you tomorrow..I'll leave you my number,,"

"Brandon, thanks, yes I am feeling bad..my ..uh assistant had to go to bed ill, I wonder if he had something contagious..oh god, I really feel dizzy!" Her face was both pale and flushed

The two men who had entered the restaurant on the orders of EJ Wells quickly spotted the woman they had been ordered to surveil. Not really being privy to any inside information on who she was, or why Mr. Wells wanted her under watch, they simply did their job the way they knew how. The camera phone recorded both the stills and the video of her and the good looking man with her as they talked intimately. When the twof them left the table, the camera recorded her staggering gate, and the giggle she let out as she passed them made it clear what was on her mind. The one recording the pictures got up to follow as the other took care of their bill. He managed to get on the elevator with them, and recorded the conversation.

"Samantha, do you have your room key?" Brandon asked, and waited as she fished it from her purse.

"Thank you for this Brandon, I needed you with me tonight!" Sami was acknowledging both their conversation, and the fact that he was helping her stagger back to the room. Whatever poor Earl had was horrid! The button on his pen recorder had been set, and the conversation was duly put on tape for Mr. Wells. The professionalism of the man was evident, as he was so unobtrusive, Sami was not even trying to hide the fact that she was totally leaning on Brandon for all her support.

When they reached the floor, Brandon was practically holding her up, and leading her down the hall. The camera phone recorded as Brandon opened the door, then bent to just pick Sami up and carry her into the room. The camera did not record the fact that her eyes were completely closed, and Brandon had a worried look on his face.

Once he had her in the room, and laid on the bed he picked up her cell phone to call George.

"What the hell did you do George?" Brandon was sure he knew, but he was waiting to hear if maybe, just maybe this so called friend had not done what he had jokingly suggested Brandon do earlier!

"Hey Bran,,come on, you wanted her..I could tel, it just took the one baby.. I slipped it in and you are home free!"

Brandon cursed him, then hung up the phone, looking down worriedly at the way Samantha looked on the bed. She seemed to be breathing well enough, but Brandon knew rophy's could have different effects on different people. As a social worker he dealt with the aftermath of women who were slipped these drugs when he talked with them at the police station after the assaults.

This was a situation he was having a hard time with. Debating on calling the police, and giving up George..which meant he would be explaining why he was up here with her while she was under the influence..He could leave her here to sleep off the effects, but what if she had a bad reaction to it?

George was most times an okay guy, married to a wonderful wife, two great kids..Brandon decided he would not go that way. Taking off his shirt, and shoes, he made the decision to just stay here with her and see that she woke up alright. He would sit up in the chair all night, check her breathing, and when she seemed to be fully awake he would just leave.

**Chapter V**

"Damn, what is the problem now?" EJ used the phone to ask his driver why the hold up in the traffic!

"There was a blackout due to the storm, and the traffic lights are not functioning, so traffic is being controlled by police officers sir."

Another thing added to his frustration for this day, but EJ decided to make some use of the time by checking in with Samantha's security detail.

"Grayson here", was the reply when EJ phoned to check with his men.

"Hello Grayson, thank you for getting over there so quickly. Have you got new for me on my wife?"

The silence on the line when EJ had asked that question made EJ think his call had dropped. "Grayson! Are you still there?"

Grayson was still there, and really was wishing now he had not been on call when the request was made for this detail. He did not want to be the one to break the news he had to EJ Wells, so he decided on another tack.

"Yes sir, I am still here, but I think maybe Masterson should be the one to give you the report. Do you want it now?"

"No, just save it, I will look it over when I get there, the bar should still be open, so meet me in there. She will probably be asleep already, I imagine she is exhausted after all she has been through today!" EJ pictured Samantha, lying in her bed, the pale golden tresses of her hair spread out on the pillow. Actual pain clutched at his groin as he thought of how badly he wanted her. Soon, he told himself, soon.

Masterson furrowed his brow after Grayson had hung up. "Cripes, that little tart upstairs is his wife?"

"Yeah..who knew?" As he spoke, Grayson was uploading the phone camera images and video to his laptop to hand over to EJ Wells when he came in. Signaling to the waitress, he ordered two more bourbon and waters to fortify themselves with. They had heard of the cold fury of the man they had been contracted out to. Now they had to make sure it was deflected onto his cheating wife and the man who was now with her.

"How much further?" EJ was now furious with the scope of the delay.

"Only about a mile sir, but we just aren't moving at all." The driver was also frustrated but there was nothing to be done.

EJ then took matters into his own hands, opening the door, he grabbed his garment bag along with his briefcase and headed on foot to the Sheraton. With his long strides he knew he could walk it within ten minutes. Ten steps up the sidewalk, came what seemed to be a message from God on how bad things were going to be, the sky was lit up with another lightning display, and a torrential rain began pelting him. His three thousand dollar suit was soaked through and plastering the three hundred dollar shirt to his skin. The only thing that kept him plodding on without just throwing his things over the side to the river below was the picture of Samantha in his mind.

He knew how it would feel when he lay down next to her, pulling her warmth against himself. She would feel he was chilly, and would use her arms and legs to entwine with his until she felt the warmth returning to his skin. Once he was no longer shivering, she would put her hands about his neck, and pull his lips onto hers for a kiss of welcome. He would use his hands then to remove her nightgown, caressing her as he did so. In turn, her hands would be kneading the muscles of his back and shoulders, pulling at him to cover her with his body and then he would find the solace he so desperately needed from her!

Now EJ found he had to walk with the briefcase in front of his trousers, and he berated himself for thinking instead of just walking!

It was just ten minutes before the last call was announced, but EJ made it into the lounge at the Sheraton in time to order up a scotch on the rocks as he sat down with Grayson and Masterson. The waiter brought him over several towels which he used to wipe the worst of the storm from his face and suit jacket. The shoes since they were of fine grade Italian leather he figured were salvageable.

Taking a sip from his drink, allowing the warmth of the liquor to take a bit of the chill off he leaned forward to inquire of the two men.

"I take it Samantha was well looked after by you two, and she is now resting comfortably in her room..no problems with autograph seekers invading her privacy?" EJ had long ago fixed the problem with the paparazzi. They had all been warned that it was not a good idea to bother Mrs. Wells, but autograph seekers were another matter. Samantha became annoyed with her body guards if they interfered with them.

"These are the people who buy my books, not intruders! Do not bother them!" and when the bodyguards would relay this to EJ, he had agreed..as long as the autograph seekers behaved respectfully he said her wishes should be complied with.

"Uh, well Mr. Wells, it was definitely not an autograph seeker that she was with".

"No, she would have been with Mildred Wallace, her literary agent" EJ downed the drink, wanting to hurry up with this report so he could go up to be with Samantha.

"Well, the older lady left some time before we even made it here, she must have wanted to get home before the other storm headed in..no this was someone else she was with".

Now, EJ caught the tone in their voice, and rather than sit and feel like he was pulling teeth, he reached over and turned the lap top screen towards him to see what they had been discussing when he sat down.

When he saw the face of the man on the screen, he did not have to be told who it was. There was nothing of Samantha's past he was not aware of. Brandon Walker and Samantha had been engaged, even married for a short period. He knew Kate had sabotaged the wedding of her son and Samantha by using this man as a dupe. But he also saw the look in the photo that Brandon was giving Samantha. It was a look of adoration, and wanting. A look he knew and wore himself so often.

"Where are they now"? EJ had a deathlike coldness to his voice. The braver of the two men simply gestured with an upward nod, then showed the video of Brandon carrying Sami into the room she was registered in.

"He's a dead man" Masterson told his partner as EJ had stomped over to the front desk to demand the key left for him by Earl.

"I think we better follow him up in case clean up is needed!"

**Chapter VI**

Brandon looked down on Samantha, reaching to take a wisp of her hair out of her eyes. Her dream of EJ was becoming real was all she could think, as she raised up on the bed, grasped him by the neck and pulled him down into a kiss that he could not stop himself from responding to. Even the click of the room door opening did not break his enjoyment of the kiss, until the feel of his neck being in the grasp of a man bent on killing him brought him back to his senses. As he was pulled back, she released her grip on his neck and flopped back onto the pillow, now snoring lightly.

One hit of his fist knocked Brandon over the chair, and the two men who had come in with this crazed maniac grabbed him up, holding him just in case the boss wanted another go. Brandon, however was well versed in his own self defense, and he quickly broke the hold, using his elbows and knees to deliver some crippling blows to the men trying to make a standstill target of him.

"You are a dead man!" EJ whispered, before turning once again to Samantha. "You are dead to me as well!" But his words fell on the deaf ears of a once again sleeping Samantha.

EJ had clenched his fists to take Brandon on again, gesturing to the men to release him, and let him get what he had coming to him.

"Wait, damnit, it was not what you think..for God's sake, take a look at her, she is passed out cold, can't you see that?" Brandon was wiping the blood from the corner of his eye, hoping to get some vision back in it before he was called on to defend himself again.

"Mr. Wells, he may be right, I mean she isn't stirring with all the noise we are making..look at her!"

In the moment it took EJ to look on her sleeping form, something else became clear to him, and now he was really ready to kill this creep!

"You son of a bitch! You slipped her a rophy!"Now EJ had him by the throat, choking him, not caring that his two men were trying to make him let go..if he was gonna kill the guy, they wanted it to be someplace more discreet! Finally, they got EJ to stop for a moment, and Brandon took the opportunity to plead his case.

"Listen to me, please, stop, it is not what you think" Brandon was gasping, but trying to make this madman listen to him. "Look at her, she is fully dressed under the covers there, I just put her to bed..yes she was drugged, but I did not realize it until an hour ago..I was afraid to leave her in case she had a reaction."

EJ glanced over at Sami, she was sleeping through the entire commotion, a slight smile on her face. Seeing that she had slipped away from the pillow, he took a moment to replace it under her head. Her hand found his and she pressed a light kiss to it before burrowing her head beneath the blanket.

"I think she was dreaming, she thought I was you. man..she talked about you and your kids all night."

"Do you know how close you came to dying tonight?"

"I can guess..I know you are a DiMera".Brandon was waiting for what he knew was the next question.

"Who gave her the drug?" The question was to be answered, EJ was giving him a chance now to walk out alive, but he wanted to know everything that had happened.

"Look, I am an old friend of Samantha's"

"Please do not call her that, you may call her Mrs. Wells or Sami, but do not use the name Samantha on her, I alone call her that!"once again, EJ's voice held a hiss that was snakelike and his eyes fixed on the throat of Brandon again.

"Sorry, that is what I used to call her too. I loved her very much at one time."

"And that is why you slept with Lexie, then deserted Samantha to the likes of Lucas Roberts? Now that is what you call deeply held devotion!"EJ was scornful now.

"Yeah, well, I was wrong..if I had not been so sanctimonious we would have married. You are a lucky man, Wells, a very lucky man".

"I think I asked you a question, and I am still waiting for the answer."

"Ok. Well, I did have a couple of drinks here earlier with some buddies, and I saw Saman...Sami come in with her agent. I joined them and later my buddies joined us..I think one of them thought it would help me out with her if he slipped something in her drink..I swear, I would never do that to any woman, least of all Samantha..sorry, Sami I mean. I want you to know when I see my friend again, it will be to give him a little of what you gave me tonight. I am so sorry, honestly!"

"And of course, you had no intention of taking advantage of her present state..do you expect me to believe that?"

"Hey, when she kissed me I sort of got into it, I admit, hell, look at her..would you stop kissing that?"

EJ remembered a time, years ago when he had kissed Samantha on her wedding day to Austin. He had known it was not going anywhere, but he had wanted it and taken what she had offered all the same. When he considered everything, he could not hold it against Brandon, except for his choice of friends, he may have actually helped Samantha, making sure she did not get any drug reactions.

Grayson and Masterson escorted him to his car, telling him as he got in, "You are one lucky s.o.b, when we got in that room and saw you and her doing the tongue tango, we figured he was gonna toss you right out the window!"

Brandon looked at them, then at the window of the room he had been in. He knew if they had not walked in, he would be making love to Samantha this very minute. He wanted her then, and he wanted her now. Maybe it was not too late after all!

**Chapter VII**

EJ had taken some time to look up the drug on his laptop, and saw that the drugs effects took effect about fifteen to twenty minutes after being given and would begin to wear off in two to four hours. Rophynol was not legally prescribed in the United States, but was readily obtained in Mexico. It was used as a very strong sedative, but one of its main uses was to be administered prior to surgeries to keep patients from remembering events in case they should wake up while being operated on. This was what made it such a popular date rape drug..victims did not recall clearly what had happened, and for that reason seldom reported incidents.

Looking at his still sleeping wife, EJ felt a wave of tenderness, as well as an equal wave of guilt at how he had almost believed she had been unfaithful. He knew that was the one sin she found hardest to forgive in others, and would have found the hardest to forgive in herself. With a smile on his lips, he decided he would give her a wonderful surprise when she finally woke up.

"Yes, this is EJ Wells, I am with my wife in her room, but I rented the honeymoon suite starting today, so I would like some help moving please..send someone up!"

The hotel ran quite efficiently, and soon EJ was carrying the sleeping body of Sami across the threshold, and laying her gently on the bed. After telling the bell hop to bring up Samantha's luggage the next morning and collecting all the bags, he tipped him generously, then sent him on his way. He began to rummage through his bag for the Victoria Secrets bag and his special present for Samantha.

She was still a dead weight, and he looked quite comical trying to remove her business suit from her uncooperative limbs. Placing the jacket and skirt in the bag for the hotel dry cleaning service, he pulled out the lingerie he wanted to see her in.

He took his time getting the camisole on, as the view was a bit distracting, but putting on the wisp of panty proved easier. He then laid her back, fluffing the pillow beneath her head, shssing her when she began to stir, since he wanted her fully awake before he let her know he was with her. The clothes he had worn now were dry but still clammy against his skin and he picked up the robe left by the hotel and headed to take a long and relaxing shower.

A foggy mist was keeping Sami from herself, and she was now fighting her way up through it. Her eyes opened, then shut, for the light from the moon was so bright through the window. She stood shakily, and walked to look out, seeing that most of the city was still blacked out. She shivered, then looked down at what she was wearing..the camisole was not tied, the panties to it were sheer, and no more than an a half inch wide at the hip area!

These were not something she had brought! "What in the hell?" Her deepening confusion grew with each second, and the fear she has done something she would forever regret grew with it. She saw the white terry robe folded neatly on the chair and quickly covered herself up with it.

Her other clothes were not evident in the room, and her bags were not anywhere to be seen. Fear intensified in her when she heard the sound of the shower through the double French doors to the bathroom. Peeking through the door, the glass of the shower enclosure was steamed up, and all she made out was the figure of a well built male, his back to her, but the outlines of a trim and toned body that brought a sharp pang of memory of the night.

"Brandon!!" her hand flew to her mouth as she realized what she must have done with him, and the shame hit her in waves that threatened to bring her to her knees! Her camisole was untied, and she knew her breasts had been exposed in the bed when she got up. All she could remember of what had happened before was feeling slightly dizzy at the table. The rest of the time since then was gone from her memory.

Now she was sure he had cheated on EJ. There was no other explanation, and she had not excuse at all. Fighting with your husband was not a reason to go into a bar and decide to have a cheap and tawdry night of sex with...even with an old flame. At this moment, Sami hated herself as she had never hated herself before. Tears stung her eyes, and she knew she had to just get out, get away before Brandon came out of the shower wanting a repeat of whatever had gone on between them!

Her purse was not even in the room, and by now she knew this was not her room! The hot tub in the corner overlooking the city made her even sadder. She had wanted to have EJ meet her in Chicago for a romantic couple of days, away and in private where they could have talked over what seemed to be wrong between them! All she could think of now was getting away, and getting away quickly!

Mildred's apartment was close by, so she put on the hotel slippers and opened the door. If anyone saw her, they would assume she was on her way to the spa. Once she made it down, she would just rush out the doors and run quickly the three blocks to Mildreds town home. It was the only thing she could think of to do, but her mind was still partially in the drug induced fog. That was why she did not see the cab bearing down on her as she headed across Euclid, The sickening crunch as she was hit brought people running to the scene.

By the time EJ had finished his shower, the ambulance had already arrived to take the seriously injured woman to Rush Medical Center. The hotels monogrammed robe had been removed, and the woman presenting to the emergency room was wearing only the skimpy camisole set. For a time, her dress and lack of identification made many of the personnel there think she might be a lady of the evening, until someone noticed the unique wedding ring she wore.

"Check the guest list at the Sheraton..she may have been staying there, and had some kind of lovers quarrel!" the doctor doing the examination wanted some one who knew this woman to come quickly..

**Chapter VIII**

Mommy and Daddy were laughing together, Kacie saw it all so clearly at first. Then the dark curtain dropped, and Kacie was afraid. She could not see what was happening, but her dream told her it was bad. Nanny came running into her room and found her sitting up in bed screaming,"Mommy..watch out!" The child was staring out into space, in the throes of a dream that was real enough to her that she too could hear the thud of the impact of the red and white checkered car hitting her mother.

When the dream stopped suddenly, Kacie held the image in her mind, and clutched at Nanny trying to make her understand.

"Hey dearie, come now, child, twas only a bad dream.."her comforting words were having no effect at all as Kacie began to struggle in earnest..

"Kace, what is it? What happened to Mom?" Jessica had been awakened, and she knew her sisters dreams well enough by now to know they had meanings unto themselves. They were not to be ignored if Kacie felt this strongly, something was going on.

"Nanny, call Daddy, call Daddy now!" now it was Justin who was standing in the doorway of his sister's room, a worried look on his face. Ace stood next to him, almost giving in to the urge to put the thumb up to his mouth, but pulling it away at the last second.

Nanny looked at the bedside clock..it showed the time as being three thirty in the morning...but she too had come to believe in the sight as it were called where she was from that resided in the sweetness of the child Kacie. She picked up the phone and began to dial Mr. EJ's cell phone.

EJ had set the phone on the bathroom vanity, not wanting any rings to disturb Sami until the moment he planned to wake her with his kisses, and now as he heard it from the shower, he congratulated himself on his good planning. When he saw the i.d he had a moments panic, what would Nanny be calling him for now..had something happened to one of the kids?"

"Sir, excuse me for this but little Kacie has had a bad dream about her mum, can you please tell her that things is aright with you two..I am sure twill make her sleep better.."

"She is having a bad dream, is that all? She isn't ill or anything?" EJ worried about Kacie, always afraid some lingering after effect of her illness would manifest itself, and he knew he tended to baby her a bit.

"Nah suh, she is foine, I think if you just reassure her you and the missus is good and well, she will settle back down" Nanny was sure of it, but Jessica, Justin, and Ace were not of the same mind. Kacie did not appear to be settling down at all, but getting more agitated and tearful by the second.

"Put her on, please..it's quite alright, I was not in bed yet anyway..."He waited a few seconds then could hear the hiccupping sobs of his little girl as she came onto the phone. It took her a bit to be able to speak, and the way she sounded told her father she was extremely upset.

"Hey, chicken..what are you worrying Nanny like this for? Mommy is sound asleep in the room, I am just out of the shower, about to go lay down with her and sleep for a bit..so how about this? When she wakes up, I will have her call you herself ok? She can tell you she is fine all by herself, how does that sound?"

"Daddy, let me talk to her now! I hafta tell her to look both ways when she crosses the streets..like she tells us we hafta look both ways! So take the phone to her, let me tell her, and then I will go back to sleep, and you can both go back to sleep". Kacie was willing to bargain, as long as she got her end of the deal upheld as well.

Knowing the only way to get her back to bed and to give Nanny any peace was to give in, EJ laughed softly, "Ok, chicken, you win. I will wake her up..hold on," he slipped the robe back on and walked out into the suite. When he saw the empty bed, and the empty expanse of the room he choked a bit.

"Listen Chicken, I think Mommy is really tired, I cannot get her to wake up. So I want you to go on back to bed, and Mommy and I will call you back in a few minutes..ok?"

It was not ok, Kacie now knew her dream was the truth as it was!

"Daddy, go stop her from going into the street..the car is gonna hit her!" the only thing untrue about the dream Kacie had was the timing. Her dream was six minutes late.

Looking down the forty three floors, EJ could see the gathering of the emergency vehicles. He threw on his trousers, a shirt, and slipped on his shoes without even bothering for socks before he ran out the door to the elevator. The revolving door at the lobby gave a whoosh as he pushed through it, getting to the sidewalk in time to hear the siren start on the ambulance that was taking his wife to the emergency department.

After being given the directions, EJ realized he had not even put his wallet in the pocket of his pants, but having the bellman remember the one hundred dollar tip had been bread upon the waters, and the bellman re loaned it to him to pay the cab fare to the hospital.

It was one of those paragon of efficiency nurses who he had the misfortune to run into when he demanded to know where his wife had been taken.

"Who is your wife?" as she opened up a fresh screen on the computer screen.

"Samantha Brady Wells!"

"The authoress? The one who wrote "Our Lives, Our Days? I loved her books"

"Holy Christ, she was hit by a cab, now where the hell is she?"

"Oh the cab hit, yes, the one who was almost naked..yes, she is on the fourth floor,

X-ray" before she had the words out, EJ was at the elevator, pushing aside an old man in a walker to get to the opening door.

"Pushy bastard!, Just wait til you get old and have to use one of these!"

"Dreadfully sorry, here let me help you.."EJ picked the man up, walker and all to set him down gently in the elevator. When the man reached to push to go to the third floor, EJ stopped his hand..."No, we are going to fourth floor first, then you may go to the third."

"Pushy bastard! I say I am going to the third floor and nothing you can do to stop me from it!"

When the elevator door stopped on the fourth floor, EJ got off quickly, leaving the old man sitting on the floor with his walker bent halfway around his neck.

**Chapter IX**

"Daddy! Daddy! Come see what Granma made us! Blueberry pancakes!" the dark eyes of the little boy as he tugged at the covers of his dad, trying to get him up for this special unaccustomed treat!

"Whoa there Spenc, Daddy had a pretty late night, but blueberry pancakes? Yum! Give me a minute and I will be right there!" Brandon swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and slipped on pj bottoms, and a t-shirt to head down to breakfast.

"Morning Lucy, wow! This looks great!" Brandon surveyed the spread before him, the pancakes were fragrant, crispy bacon, orange juice, and best of all, hot coffee! His mother in law had been a godsend, but she would have said it was the other way around. Losing her daughter, Adrianna, had been the worst moment of her life, and if not for being able to care for her grandson, she would have gone insane.

Now she was in her element. The small boy with the dark curly hair, and the almost coal dark eyes was smacking a bit as he downed the pancakes, smiling, and making that little humming noise he made when he was especially pleased with his meal. Spencer was the image of Brandon, until he smiled..then the dimples in his cheek marked him as a child of Adrianna. Spencer was making sure his Dad was enjoying it, looking over to him and saying, "Hey Dad, maybe we can have blueberry pancakes on Sunday too, and you can take me to the park to sail my boat ok?"

"Well, son, that sounds like the best idea I have heard all week! I bet we can get that boat out on that lake and make it beat all the rest of them in a race! You just make sure to get it all polished up so it looks real pretty for Sunday..can you do that?" since his wife had died, only Spencer had the means of really making Brandon smile..except for the woman he had been with for a few hours last night. He remembered he had actually smiled and been happy for a time when they had been talking. Samantha had been a love of a lifetime, and if he had only given her a chance..he shook the thought from his mind. He had been happily married, and life gives you no guarantees. He also knew Samantha was happy with her life. She had glowed when showing him her families pictures. It had been good to see her, and as for the rest of the night, well, he did not regret the kiss at all, but he knew why her husband had reacted the way he did, he would have done the same.

Lucy noticed his pensive look as his eating slowed. "Here is the paper, now you better eat up if you are gonna be worth a damn at work today! It was late when you got in, and you need some fuel!" She handed him the paper to read, and when he opened to the front page and saw the headline and picture, he stopped in mid bite.

"**Authoress, Samantha Brady Wells Hit by Cab'**

He scanned the article, and noting the time, he saw it happened an hour after he had left her! "What did that bastard do to you?' He said this aloud as he read, making both Lucy and Spencer look at him curiously. The only information about her condition was that it was serious, and she had been in surgery that morning.

"Damn, she is at Rush!" Brandon spent a lot of time there, as his specialty was counseling families and children who had been involved in traumatic events. If there was a shooting at a school, he was there to offer as someone to talk to. He was often the one who families turned to if a loved one had been seriously injured.

'Lucy, I have to get into work now! Can you get Spence off to pre school" he knew she would be disappointed about the breakfast, but he had to get to Samantha. If she needed his help, he wanted to be there for her!

He found EJ sitting in the waiting room outside of the operating theatre. Gone was the self assured powerful man who could have ordered him killed and disposed of without a second thought. This man sitting here was afraid. Brandon knew that look well. He saw it on countless family members waiting to see if someone they loved was going to still be with them after all the medical teams had finished what they could do.

"I am sorry, I just heard. If you like, I will see what I can find out about what is going on..I know the worst thing about being in this situation is not knowing what is happening." Brandons voice was low and soft, but not condescending.

EJ looked at him coldly. In his mind, Brandon's decision to go out drinking with friends who would better fit on the evolutionary scale as pond scum had been the cause of Samantha's accident.

"If you have any pull with these imbeciles, I would appreciate it. Right now I have some experts flying in to give their opinions as well."though he thought Brandon was a friend of pond scum, he would use whatever help he could offer right now.

"Give me a minute, but I should tell you, the doctors here at Rush are top caliber..Samanth..Sami is in very capable hands, and they will do everything they can to see she makes a complete recovery.

"Thank you, and her complete recovery will be a good thing for your friend George as well" EJ knew his meaning was clear when Brandon cleared his throat but said nothing.

"Ok, I understand what you must be going through, but the guy is just an ordinary family man, except he had a few too many drinks last night, please, can you give him a little break?"

"Yes, I think I may be able to do that". EJ then decided he would only have one arm and one leg broken. That would probably teach him all the lesson he needed to learn. "Now, you said you were going to see what you can find out about her condition..can you do that now please, I am counting on you to help me here." The threat implied was not lost again on Brandon, but he really did want to find out her condition anyway, more for himself than for this thug who had begun to really annoy him,

He walked over to the nurses station, and began to shamelessly flirt with the attractive nurse working the desk. Soon, she was leaning over the counter top, opening up the file, and then checking on the computer logs to dig up whatever else was available.

'The patient presented in an unconscious state, dressed only in a flimsy piece of lingerie,

Paramedic workers said they had cut off the remains of a terry robe with the monogram from the Sheraton Hotel indicated. Worst injuries appear to be orthopedic, with a compound fracture appearing in X-ray of her right femur. Multiple contusions were found on her body after removal of clothing.

Scan shows no brain damages, but several ribs have been cracked. Prognosis after surgery to pin and reset leg appears to be good."

Nothing in the file was earth shattering, she had been coded as serious due to being unconscious when she was brought in. Brandon knew this was all good news though, and he walked back to EJ, a slight smile on his face.

"It looks ok from the chart..when they bring her down from surgery I will talk to the doctor with you. But it looks good..she was lucky!"

The white look EJ had sported before now was flooding back with color. He reached for Brandons hand and shook it in gratitude.

"I have to call the kids before they hear it from someone else.."EJ already could see the press that would now be stationed outside his estate. He need Matthew on the job to protect them right away!

**Chapter X**

Sami woke from the nap she had been taking, surprised at how little her right leg was hurting now. Her IV unit included a little push button operated system that allowed her to dispense whatever amount of pain medication she needed. Up until this moment she had hit the button any time she found herself waking up, as the discomfort was too much too bear. Now she was willing to stay afloat for a few minutes, and she saw once again, EJ was sitting in the chair next to her bed. His head was thrown back a bit, and his eyes were closed as he slept. She could see he was sporting at least two days growth of beard, and she knew that was about the amount of time she had been in the hospital. Her memory of how and why she was there was fuzzy. The last thing she recalled totally was walking out of the hotel. What had made her walk out was something she did not remember until she looked up to the doorway and saw Brandon Walker standing there, a small bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"I thought you might be feeling a little less under the weather today, the worst of the surgery pain should be easing up now..am I right?" his voice was concerned and tender, and EJ woke immediately upon hearing him.

"Hello Brandon, what a surprise to see you here" EJ was not rude, but his voice was tempered with a tone that said this visit was unwelcome.

Sami, though, was looking at Brandon with a plea in her eyes. The plea was for him to just stay quiet, give her the flowers and leave before the guilt in her eyes told EJ everything she did not want him to know! Knowing she had been in a hotel room with Brandon, half naked, and Brandon showering probably after having made love to her made her want to escape again. Reaching over, she gave the button two pushes, waiting in blessed relief for the medication to take over her mind. It started quickly, and she smiled as she felt the slide into oblivion begin.

"Damn! She must still be in pain, I was hoping she would stay awake long enough to talk with her."EJ had been by her side for two days, no shower, no change of clothes, and he was starting to be decidedly unfresh.

"Look EJ, why don't you go back to the hotel and freshen up. I will stay here with her, and if she wakes up I will make sure she calls you. I mean, when she does come up for air, you don't want her seeing you looking like that..right?"

EJ was loathe to leave her, but he was feeling in need of a clean up. If only Harris was not still in the middle of Canada operations, he would have much preferred that he be there with her, not Brandon. He checked his watch, calculating he could be finished and back at the hospital in less than an hour..when she punched in the dosage, it usually took effect for two to three hours. Brandon would sit with her, so if she should wake she would not be completely alone. His real hope was that she would remain asleep.

EJ made it back to the hotel, shaved and showered, changed into fresh clothes within thirty minutes. He saw the message light flash on his phone and picked it up to check his voice mails. One was from Matthew, just a simple one word message which told EJ that the fellow George had met with an unfortunate accident.

"Done". EJ wrote on his notebook that Matthew was to be given a bonus for efficiency. Now he decided to give a call to home to speak with the children. He planned on flying Samantha home within two days, and had been arranging to have a room set up downstairs for the two of them to share. It would be two beds of course, as he knew the cast would need to be defended against accidental bumping. The six weeks or so of healing would be another period added to his celibacy, and he clenched his fists while thinking of it.

"Hey Chicken, How are you sweetie?"His youngest daughter had begged Nanny to take the phone first.

"Daddy, I am making Mommy a present! It will be done by the time you bring her home! Bring her home like you said, two days ok?"

"Yes I will Chicken..now let me talk to the others ok, I have to get back to the hospital so Mommy is not by herself!"

"Hey Dad, Mom is coming home in two days? Super! I want her to be able to come to the football game next week? Do you think she can come?" Justin was going to be playing in his first tag football game, and having his mom at his games was always a source of embarrassed pride to him. She tended to yell the loudest of all the moms!

"Please tell her how much we all miss her..and I have a beautiful purple marker that I want to autograph her cast with ok?" EJ smiled at his "Trouble" who was turning into the little "mother" of all his and Samantha's children. He knew she had taken Ace under her wing, knowing he was the least equipped of all of them to cope with missing his Mother. He was a fiercely brave boy, but when it came to his mother, he found it hard to cope with separation from him.

"Daddy, can I come to Chick-kago to see Mommy now?"This was Aces demand, and EJ thought for a moment.

"Ok, Ace, I think I can arrange that, maybe all of you can come! Let me speak with Nanny!" he could think of no greater gift for either Samantha or the children than to have them with her when she was taken home!

"Samantha..Samantha..look I know you hear me, and while EJ is gone I wanted to tell you how wonderful it was to be with you the other night. I only wish I had been smart enough to keep you with me when I had the chance, but thank you anyway for the other night. It is a memory I will cherish forever!" Brandon took her hand, kissed it lightly, then bent to kiss her forehead.

The words did get through to Sami in the drug induced haze, and they were like shards of glass piercing her heart. Brandon was here, telling her how he would cherish the night they had spent, and she could only feel a burning shame and regret. Willing herself to not respond to his words, she stayed in the haze, there was nothing he could say to her to make her want to acknowledge him being there. How would EJ ever be able to forgive her? How would she be able to forgive herself?

**Chapter XI**

"Samantha, this leg looks right as rain..you have done everything right in taking care of it..you too EJ, your wife can probably walk out of here with just a crutch, but in a week or so, even the crutch won't be needed.' Doctor Lelands words to EJ and Samantha had two reactions.

Sami Wells had grown quiet and pensive. Once the cast had been sawed off, and the exam showed she was healed perfectly, the smile she had been wearing since coming into the office was replaced by a worried look with a furrowed brow.

EJ, on the other hand was like a kid with a new puppy! This was working out so perfectly now. He had called Tippin to bring down the suitcases he had already packed, and the reservation at Green Mountain Lodge was all set. They would be getting the room they had shared on their honeymoon, with the fireplace and the redwood hot tub that was on the veranda under the stars. The time that had passed while she had healed had been quietly companionable between them, but he missed the passion that was so much a part of their life together. Since the night of the quarrel, til now had been the longest eight weeks of his life!

"Now, we will want you back for some physical therapy to make sure the muscles in the leg build up, but for now, most activities are fine"..

Having caught the question in EJ's eyes, the doctor winked and said "Yes, even that!"

Sami knew she could not keep her secret much longer now. EJ had been so kind to her, carrying her about the house, not letting anyone disturb her. All the while she knew she had betrayed him in the worst way a wife could betray a husband. She knew before he took her to his bed, he had to know what she had done. If he could forgive her they could go forward, but she could not revert to being the person she had been before EJ. He always told her true love listens, and true love forgives. She was going to find out if he meant it.

Thinking back to that night, she still did not know why she would have done such a thing. All she could come up with was that her anger at EJ was still bubbling, and this was how she had taken her revenge. Except now she was so sorry..so very sorry. His forgiveness was all that could make it right, but to get that, she would have to confess what she had done to him, and that was going to be the hardest thing she had ever attempted to do.

"EJ, where are we going? You missed the turnoff!" As the car sped up, heading out to the countryside she saw his smile spread until it was an open mouthed grin showing all the even white teeth in that lovely mouth.

"I thought we needed that couple of days away you had set up for us, back before the accident". EJ had taken the call on her cell phone and was told of her original surprise plans for him. He had been touched, and vowed they would do it as soon as she was released from the Doctors care.

"I have the original menu you wanted. Except it is all of my favorites, so I put in a couple of items for you too darling. The wines and champagnes are the ones you wanted, but I took the liberty of ordering the flowers for you. I am going to shower you with attention, affection, and tender loving care my sweet!"

Normally she would have thought it was the most wonderful surprise in the world, but now it only added to her inner turmoil. When she told him, and she knew she had to tell him, would he walk out of that room..turning his back on her? All these weeks she had lain in the narrow bed downstairs, next to his. There had been times she had wanted to ask him to move her into his bed so she would be able to spoon herself against him, but besides the awkwardness of the cast, was the awkwardness of how she felt with the knowledge she was holding from him.

Now she wished she had told him during that time. At least she would have held the higher ground with the sympathy factor, but with the cast removed, she had ceded that ground.

He waited for her to say something, and she could not keep the strained silence any longer without making him ask her what was wrong.

"Green Mountain Lodge, that sounds wonderful..just wonderful.." her words and her eyes did not match in emotion, and he noticed right away.

"Look, if you don't think you feel up to it, I know the cast just got off, but I thought a little time alone together would be so good for us. We have not had much of a chance to talk, much less anything else. I wanted to talk to you in Chicago, but..you kind of messed that idea up love!" his voice kidded her, but she tensed at the mention of Chicago.

"Hey, what's wrong? Relax, take a nap. Let me wake you when we get there ok?"

Sami nodded, then closed her eyes. She did not want him to ask her any more questions or to mention Chicago again. She would have to find the right time to tell him, and in an automobile going eighty miles an hour on a twisted road was not the time or place.

"Hey, we're here", EJ was gently shaking her knee then leaning across the car to kiss her lips. When she opened her eyes to return the kiss, she saw how happy he looked, and again she felt the waves of remorse and guilt.

The bell man helped take the bags to the honeymoon suite, and when he had entered with the bags, he turned to take his tip from the hand of EJ. Sami had been swept up in his arms to cross over the threshold, and EJ had put the bill between his teeth for her to hand over to the laughing hotel worker.

"I think you both are gonna have a wonderful stay, and if you need anything else, my name is Oliver, and all you gotta do is ring!"

EJ let his eyes sweep the room. The serving cart with the silver hooded tray was in the room, buckets of ice with four bottles of champagne, a nice red bottle of red wine, lilacs and roses strewn about the room, and the four poster bed which had rose and lilac petals spread over the satiny sheets.

"Here, darling, I want you to put this on..I have always wanted to see you in something like this!"as he pulled it out of the bag, he gave a low sexy growl...

When Sami saw the flimsy camisole with the yellow ribbon that tied it together at the top, along with the tiny thong panty that it matched, her hand went to her mouth, and the room began to sway.

"Samantha!" EJ rushed to catch her as she fainted!

**Chapter XII**

Her eyelids fluttered as she became aware of lying down in a bed fragrant of lavender and roses. EJ was bent over her, his face a mass of concern as he wiped her cheeks and forehead with the damp cloth.

'Hey, glad to see you back..I guess the long ride kind of did you in..I am so sorry, maybe I should have waited a few days" he was looking at her with such a tender expression it brought the first tear to her eyes. Tears she had been holding back since he had come into the hospital room with all four kids, and the souped up wheelchair he had surprised her with years ago in Salem.

"No, EJ, I am glad you did not wait. We do need to talk about some things..maybe after we eat, I am a little hungry."Truth was, she did not really have an appetite, but she did need something to fortify herself with, and looking at the table with the champagne, she knew she wanted a drink quickly! Her hands took up the bottle of champagne, and she gave it over to him to open.

"Of course, darling, but first things first," and once again he handed her the lingerie to put on. "There is a robe here that matches it", and he let her have the satin pale yellow robe to cover up with. "I have dreamed of seeing you wearing this for me!"

His eyes were warm, and loving as he looked at her, and she could not find it in her to protest at all. Taking the feathery sheer scraps of material, she headed into the bathroom.

A few minutes later she emerged and she heard his intake of breath.

"You look like an angel"His eyes traveled from her feet encased in the pale yellow mule slippers to the satin robe that skimmed just at mid thigh. Even though she had it tied at the waist, the v of the neckline only emphasized the thrust of her proud breasts. He could make out the outline of the hip strap of the panty, but when she turned to show him the whole outfit, he grinned to see the panty line was non existent. The ribbon tying the camisole together beckoned for him to loosen it up, but he knew he must feed her first! He wanted her to have all her strength for the night to come!

"Let me get a little more comfortable too..I have served the oysters up, just the way you like them..the sauce is there too. And of course, champagne!" he handed her over a glass, and smiled in approval as she took a healthy gulp.

Sami watched in trepidation as he stripped in front of her down to his black satin boxer briefs. She knew the moment of truth was coming closer and closer and she still did not know how she was going to find the words to tell him of her sin. To want him so badly while fearing so much what he would do or say once she confesses was killing her. Then he turned back to her, and began to walk to her with a slow, almost hypnotic pace. He never took his eyes off hers, and she felt her knees go weak once more!

"Easy, sweet, easy!" His arms reached out to bring her to his chest, steadying her hand with the champagne glass.."Why are you so nervous? What is wrong love?'

Her face screwed up then, and he saw with alarm she was going to cry..oh no..this was not what he wanted the night to end up as..another fight or guilt trip on him or her!

"EJ, I have done something awful and I am so sooooooorrrreeeeee"..her voice stretched out on the last word as the tears came in torrents!

Now he was worried,"Hey, Samantha, please , don't cry, tell me, you know you can tell me anything..what is is darling?"

He fished a handkerchief from his suit coat, and wiped at her eyes, but the tears soon soaked it, and she still was weeping. Finally, gulping for a bit of air, she began her tale.

"EJ, the night I was hurt in Chicago, I did something..I don't know why, or how, but I..I..oh God, EJ I cheated on you with Brandon Walker!"

His look of perplexity to her was just his way of not being willing to believe what she was saying. So she began to blurt out more of the story.

"I woke up, and I found I was almost naked EJ..and I heard the shower running. I went to the door and I looked in and I saw him showering in there. I wasn't even in my own room, my clothes were gone and I was wearing practically nothing! I swear, I don't know how it happened. I knew I had to get out of there before he came out of the shower. I was so ashamed, I still am. I must have had too much to drink or something. That is why I left the hotel, I was going to go stay with Mildred until my head cleared up! I must have been so upset I didn't pay attention and I got hit by the cab! EJ, please, can you forgive me for this..I swear, I will never do anything like that again, oh please, just don't leave me!"

EJ grew very quiet and very still before he began to speak, "You know Samantha, I suppose I should have let you know everything that happened that night, and you would not be suffering like this. Then there is also the fact you have suffered with this on your mind when you did not have to. I wish you had confessed to me at first, instead of worrying yourself like this all these weeks".

He went to her, and pulled her to him by the belt of her robe, and began to untie it. "I know everything that happened with you and Brandon"

.Once the robe was untied, he began to kiss her neck, then swirled light kisses at the whorl of her ears. His hand spread the robe apart, and he looked down at her, drinking in the sight of the camisole, liking the sight of the ribbons slight trembling.

"You were given a drug, commonly known as a Rophy by one of his friends..Brandon did not know about it" he now was undoing the yellow ribbon which held the camisole together with his mouth as he mumbled on.

"It was not Brandon in the shower, it was me. Kacie made Nanny call me on my cell as she was trying to warn me you might be in trouble."

Sami was listening to him, wanting to believe him, but waiting for him to show anger for her other betrayal. The betrayal of not trusting him, but her only reassurance was his drugging kisses that stilled her fears.

The ribbon was now untied, and he sent his hand in to hold a second over her heart, reveling in the strong steady beat that was there now. He used his palms to stroke her, until she thrust herself at him, in the age old way of womanhood to urge him on.

He picked her up, carrying her quickly to the bed and lying her down on the fragrance of the petals. This need was too urgent to be a relaxed session of lovemaking, and he bent to use his teeth and mouth to lift the straps of the skimpy panties and pull them down, then coming onto her as her legs opened up in welcome to him.

"Are you still awake?" her whisper came to him as he held her in the cage of his arms, stroking her face with a gentle restrained power.

'Yes, what is it"? he leaned up to look down upon her.

"I love you, and I know you would never do anything to harm me or the kids..I know that..but would it be possible."She hesitated, and he waited for her to finish.

"I want to find Mom, and make sure Stefano is what she wants"

EJ knew soon Samantha would ask for that, and he knew he could not say no to her, though it would be better if he could have.

**Chapter XIII**

EJ tried the gentler way of waking her up, but Sami was determined not to respond to ear and neck nibbles by him. His penchant for rising before seven a.m had been the one thing in the marriage that she would have listed in a grounds for divorce paper if she had been forced to name the worst fault he had.

"Wake up, wake up, I have a surprise for you."his whispers and light kisses in her ear, while his hands began to caress her bare tummy and sides were starting to have the desired effect as she began to squirm and moan slightly at his touch.

"EJ, please, I will be just as surprised in an hour, now let me sleep..you wore me out last night!"

"Samantha, I waited for two months to make love to you, I really think I should get a pass for that...but I will let you know, that myth about cold showers is just that, a silly myth. All it took to teach me that was one...then I decided no use torturing myself with chills as well as horni...well you know!"

Giving up, she turned to his embrace with her eyes open and smiling with delight. "Okay then, surprise me!"

Throwing the covers off of them both, he picked her up and carried her out onto the veranda of the room. The entire patio area was fenced, and festooned in the most fragrant star jasmine cascading down the brick walls. . In the center sat the huge redwood hot tub, with the jets were running full blast, the steam rising up in rolling clouds with the chilly morning air. He carried her up the stairs, then just put one long leg down into the water, carrying her in with him then seating them both in the warmth of the water.

"Ummm,,,this does feel good..I was a little sore after last.." she did not finish the sentence as EJ was bending down to cover her mouth with a deep and urgent kiss. When he stopped, he was looking into her eyes, searching for something there that he was hoping to see from her once again.

"It feels so good to be with you again like this EJ, I can't even bear to think about what I said to you when we quarreled..I know you have no control over how Stefano thinks, or why Doctor LaDierma and John would do what they did to my mother."

With those words, EJ saw the trust and love he had worried had been lost from their union. He knew they would always have passion, but for it to be lasting, the mortar holding their wall together had to be based on trust and love.

"Samantha, I promise you, we will find Marlena and see what her choice is, but no matter what her choice is, I love you, I will stand by you, I will fight your fight! All I need to know is you feel the same about me..."his hand captured hers, bringing her fingers to his lips, as he stroked the soft inside of her wrist and arm.

She shivered from the sensations, but used her hands to hold his face between them, as she looked deeply into the warm velvet brown tones of his eyes.

"You are the only person who has ever accepted me for who and what I am. Some of it is good, some bad, some in between, but you have loved it all. So yes, I love you also, and I will fight your fight by your side, no matter what happens, I know you are the one who will always stand by me. You will protect me, you will protect the children. I should have known you would for you always have!" then her lips found his , and she pressed her body to his, offering more than just words now!

His groan of wanting her excited her as much as his usual endearments of love. This was raw and powerful, as he lifted her in the water and settled her down astride his lap. Her arms encircled his neck and he pulled her to him, as closely as was possible, and when the age old dance of love took hold of the two of them, Sami's head was thrown back with her neck offered up to his kisses, while her senses reeled to the rhythm of his lovemaking. Both of them demanded and gave to the other what they asked for, both in words and body language, until the moment came that they both felt the release of the tension and ecstasy they sought!

He took the towel to dry her back, and offered her the robe he had left out earlier. She reciprocated and followed as he went back into the room. Room service had been with breakfast, and the table was set with fresh coffee, pastries, fruit, bagels, too much food really, but Sami ran to it, taking a strawberry in her mouth and turning to EJ with a teasing look. Of course he took the other half from her mouth, both of them laughing as the juice dribbled down their face. It was then a race to see who would lick it off the other first, but EJ cheated a bit. Since he was stronger, he just had to hold her face still, and let his height advantage take over. There was also the fact that she soon just gave over to the rush of her senses with EJ, wanting the feel of him doing what he was doing just because it felt so good!

Breakfast took a bit longer than EJ had scheduled for, since the strawberry caper soon ended up with the fruits being used for unintended purposes.

"My love, you are just too inventive! However, since most of this does usually end up on the pages of your book, I should say we could probably write this whole weekend off as research!" EJ lay back on the floor, laughing at the way she had just made him into a sexual fruit salad!

"EJ, I always use fictitious names to protect the guilty, but yes, I think I will inform the accountant that all our out of town invoices involve research expense! Good thinking!"

When they finally had the energy to stand, they dressed and went out to walk the grounds. This was the place they had shared the short honeymoon. It was also where the first salvo had been fired in the Kirakis-DiMera wars..the war was on hold for a bit, but EJ and Sami knew so much was still in the pot. Old wounds would now reopen, new wounds would come. And once again, they would be facing and fighting enemies as one!

(authors note: ok I gave you the romance (aka sex) ..now I have to get back to the original plot line of this story.. I have to ask is "was it good for you?"

**Chapter XIV**

The library in the medical center was a hive of information, and Brandon knew how to access all of it. It took him only a few minutes to look up all information accessible for Doctor Antonia LaDierma, and less time than that to figure out that she was nothing but an impostor. It was obvious to anyone that looked close enough that her credentials were simply copied and pasted over other peoples, the letters of reference were done the same way. So if he could figure this out, why was Salem University Hospital so easily taken in? They must have wanted to be, and was it not convenient that both Victor Kirakis and EJ Wells had prominent positions on the board of that institution.

He looked over the offer of employment he had obtained from Salem University Hospital over six months ago. It seemed to him then it might be good to get back to Salem, and take Spencer with him. He thought Lucy might be willing to go with him, and maybe a change would be good for her too. Too many memories of Adrianna were here in this town, but he still wanted someplace familiar. His mind having been made up, he called the department head in Salem to ask if the position was still open. It was, and from that moment, it was only a matter of tying up some loose ends. Once in Salem, he also planned to help Samantha. The story of her mother and what had gone in the hospital was legendary now in the mental health fields. So many articles were being written on security issues, and the ability of a patient to decide for or against any treatment.

Either she would find her husband was an innocent DiMera, or she would come to see his true colors. To Brandon this was a way of atonement for what she had done to her and the pain he had caused her in the past. He remembered his demand for an annulment to the marriage and how she had begged for another chance. His pride and anger had made him decide in haste, then when he had second thoughts it was too late again, and she was in love with Lucas. He knew that would never last, but he needed to get on with his life. Adrianna came at just the right time, but she had died at the most wrong time. He had been happy, they had a son..and plans to buy the house in the suburbs. Perfection, and it had all gone to hell with one doctors visit over a slight back ache and some stomach pains. Six months later, she had died in his arms.

"And just why do you think it would be a good idea to go back to Salem now?"Lucy was looking at Brandon over the rim of her coffee cup. She was not against the idea, just wanted more reasons than he had given for uprooting them to the small town he had resisted going back to before.

"I want to know more about what happened to my father, I want to see Lexie, and Theo again, he is my brother, and Spencers uncle. My Mom is there, and she is getting up in years, so I should be there for her since Nicole is not. Lots of reasons, Lucy, lots of reasons."

"None of them having to do with that Sami person I hope!"Lucy had heard the story too.

"Samantha is an old friend now, one I would like to see again. But no, she is very much in love with EJ Wells. He may not be good enough for her by half, but for whatever reason, she does love him."

"Just see you don't get too friendly, but yes, it would be nice to see your mother again, I could use the friendship too!"

With the help of Lucy, Brandon began to get the ball rolling for the move back to Salem.

Antonia LaDierma was quite settled into her post as Clinic Director. She had stepped into Marlenas shoes quite easily, even finding that some on staff had more respect for her than had ever been given to Doctor Evans. The Womens Empowerment Program Marlena had campaigned for but never got off the ground enough to get funding for was now meeting twice weekly, with an evening and daytime session, going so well it had a waiting list for both classes. Antonia had gotten it off the ground within a month of Marlena leaving town with Stefano DiMera.

John, though was starting to be a problem. Giving him more drugs was not the answer, and he balked now at the hypno therapy. Sex was now the only weapon she had for controlling him, and it was getting tiresome to her. Raphael was now openly scornful of John, but with his present state, John was no longer the man he had once been. Kristen felt badly about that actually, she had wanted him so badly she had changed him so he would love her, but she did not love the changes she had made. The old John who had fought for her was the one she wanted, but she knew that John would want Marlena. The old adage of be careful what you wish for had come true for her.

"How long Kristen, how long?"

"What are you talking about Raphael, don't talk in riddles, you know it annoys me!" Kristen was hanging an expensive oil painting by a promising new artist in her living room. It was an abstract done by Lyonsfame, a work so complicated and intricate, Kristen had debated for a week before deciding she had to have it!

When John had seen it, his only reaction had been to ask why the center was bright yellow. Raphael had looked at it and saw at once why it appealed to her.

"The confusion is your inner turmoil now isn't it?..You have everything you thought you ever wanted, and you still feel empty inside. I know how that can eat at you, as I have the same feelings at times." Raphael leaned back into the chair, sipping his scotch and soda.

"He can be taught you know, none of us appreciate the finer things until we learn about them. I can be his teacher!"

He looked at her, up and down, finally settling his gaze on her finely planed cheekbones, which he then took between his thumb and forefinger. "No..my dear..that is not what you long for, you want someone who commands you, and John will never be that man!"

The opera music playing from the stateroom down the hall was all it took to bring a sublime smile to Marlenas sleeping countenance. He was awake, she knew, and was waiting on her to come to him. She sat up on the side of the bed, taking the satin robe from the bed post and slipping it on to tie around her. Then she slipped down the hall to the room where Bart was entering the codes to bring Stefano to full alertness.

"Good morning my dear, did you sleep well?"

"Oh yes" she said in that breathless voice he had dreamt about and was so fond of. She moved to sit by him, stroking his face with a tender motion. It had taken so long to finally realize this was what she had wanted all this time. To be with the one man in the world who saw every flaw in her, and wanted to uncover more of them. Living a life as a virtual saint had left many vulnerabilities in her psyche. They had been exploited at one time by Stefano, Tony, and not so long ago, Alex North. Now she was here with the one who appreciated her for who and what she was, with no pretenses, no walls. All she wanted to be was the cotton candy doll who only wanted to live in the moment of perfection created by Stefano. Now that is what she was.

"Boss..uh..you know..I had a thought" Bart was always nervous around Stefano first thing in the morning..but since Marlena was here, things had been much easier.

"You had a thought? Tell me, was it painful?" Stefano laughed at his little jest, before gesturing to Bart to finish his speech.

"I think we should let the other one go back to Salem now..Marlena seems happy enough here with us, and she is cured! She would really be able to live a normal life now!"

"You know, Bart, that is a most splendid idea. That one has never wronged a DiMera, but it would surely give old Kirakis a jolt!" Stefano smiled and went into his best imitation of his old evil laugh he could manage. Even Marlena laughed at it, as it seemed such a parody now. This man was as gentle as a spring breeze, and he would never hurt anyone!

**Chapter XV**

All she had with her was a small suitcase which carried one change of clothing, one extra pair of shoes, along with a small bag of essentials toiletries. .Eight hundred dollars in cash in her purse was in the small compartment, inside the wallet that carried her identification. She wished she knew who she was, it would have made things so much easier on her. When she walked into the station, looking up at the Welcome to Salem sign, her, her mind was still the same blank slate it was when she had woken and found herself on the bus. The only reason she had bothered getting off was that the driver had come back to tell her this was his final stop, and if she wasn't getting off here, then she better plan on pay rent for sleeping there!

This should have been frightening to her, but for some reason it seemed as though she belonged here. Her identification said her name was Rose Grayson, she was forty seven years old, weighed one hundred and twelve...as she walked down the street to the town she looked into a storefront glass.."well, maybe ten pounds off, but who cares?". She had a smartly styled haircut, that complimented the curly tendency of her dark brown hair. The jeans and t shirt she had on were nondescript, but her sandals were of an expensive Italian leather, soft, and a rich buttery brown. Her purse matched. Altogether, she gave an impression of being net and tidy, but not at all striking. Perfectly forgettable.

Wandering a bit, she just took in the town, and kept thinking how right it felt to be here. Then she saw him. He was pounding the nail into the sign saying "Welcome to Grand Re Opening Historical Brady Pub! Friday Night!" Wavy dark hair was tinged at the temple with grey, the beard also was salt an pepper, though his body was trim and well toned as he reached for the hammer. His movement was a bit too sharp, and instead of gripping the tool, he sent it flying, crying out as he saw it was going to hit the woman standing too close to his ladder!

"Hope! Get out here! Oh Lord, I'm so sorry, I was careless, are you okay Miss?" Bo was kneeling next to the prostrate form of the unfortunate woman who now had a perfect imprint of a hammer head growing as a knot on her forehead.

"Uncle Bo! What happened to her?" Sami and EJ had just walked around the side of the building in time to see the hammer fly and the woman drop to the sidewalk.

Hope had come out, and gone back in to get some washcloths and water to wash up the blood on the womans face. She was not unconscious, but was looking up at the faces looking down at her. Each one took a few seconds of her concentration. Bo wrinkled his brow and frowned at her. He knew her face, but could not exactly place where or why. Sami looked at her also feeling a connection. When she got to EJ, she smiled slightly, and he returned it kindly. Even Hope had a feeling about this woman. For whatever reason, just looking at her gave everyone a calm and peaceful feeling.

At last she spoke, and broke the spell the rest of them were falling under. "Could you please tell me if the position is still open, the one for the waitress? " She pointed with her finger at the sign in the window of the Pub.

"Well, yes, yes it is. But we need someone who is willing to live on premises, we need someone to open early for the breakfast shift, but be willing to close up too for awhile!" Hope was looking like she had just had a prayer answered as she noticed the woman had dropped the small suitcase which appeared to be her only belongings.

EJ looked pleased at this development, saying to Bo,"Well, Bo, it looks like she may just be everything you are looking for! What is your name Miss?"

"It's..it's" she paused a moment before recalling the name on the state identification card, "Rose, Rose Grayson!" and she extended her hand to all.

Brandon had flown into Salem twice for his orientation classes at University Hospital, but with his prior experience there, it was really unnecessary. He knew the hospital, and its systems inside and out already. The staff that had been on when he worked there all knew and respected him. Especially Lexie Carver!

"Brandon! Oh, I am so excited to see you are coming back to work here with us! What a thrill!" Her arms had gone round his chest in a welcome hug.

"Good to see you too Lexie..and I can't wait to see Theo..I should not have waited this long. It is hard to believe he is fourteen! When he came to visit us, Spence was just an infant, now he is three. You are going to be so surprised at how much he looks like Dad..I mean Abe."

Her face registed a bit of pain for just a second, but then she brightened. "Can you make it for dinner tonight at the house. I would love to cook something for someone besides me and Theo" and when he said he would love to, her face lit up with anticipation!

Brandon also smiled in anticipation, Lexie loved to talk. Lexie knew a lot of what went on the hospital, and he wanted her take on the qualifications of Antonia LaDierma. He planned to find out all about her, her connection to the DiMeras if any through EJ Wells, and then he was going to help Sami find and talk to her missing mother. It was the least he could do for the pain he had caused her.

John was headed to the Pub to check on how Bo and Hope were coming along. He also was feeling a bit lonely. Basic Black held no interest for him anymore, and he spent little time running it, leaving it to lower level management. He was now entertaining an offer from Mythic to merge with them, and it was seeming like a better idea each day. Nothing held his interest anymore, only Kristen, and lately she had seemed to push him away. John was feeling intense loneliness now, his daughter Belle refused to speak to him at all, and Sami only gave him the briefest of courtesy nods if they met in public. No one in the town openly scorned him, since the story of how Marlena had willingly left town with Stefano DiMera was well known, but he no longer had the ease of familiarity with the townspeople, and what was left of the Brady family. John Black was given the respect of his position, but not the love he had spent years earning in the town.

"John, hey bud, nice of you to come in for a pre opening visit!" Hope came out from behind the bar where another worker was drying the glassware. Something about her made John look a bit longer. Then he shrugged. Nothing about the woman really stood out, but he still found himself following her with his eyes as she climbed up and down the step stool to put the glasses up on the higher shelf.

"Rose, please, come meet a friend of ours, John Black!" Rose dutifully walked over and put her hand out to the tall man with the engaging smile. When his left eyebrow went up in an expression of puzzlement, Rose was hooked. He was the most handsome fellow she had ever seen, and it was embarrassing her that her face was feeling flushed.

"Maybe you better slow down Rose, you are all red!" Hope figured the color change was due to how much work had been done since they had decided to hire her almost on the spot. It was so strange, even Bo, normally the most suspicious natured man in the world was taken in by the aura around Rose. The only word to describe her was sweet.

**Chapter XVI**

A billboard in Auckland New Zealand was advertising the lastest opera to be played onstage during the last part of the season. Chloe Lane was to be featured in the coveted role of Lucia, from Lucia Di Lammermoor, but something was now going to be a problem with her continuing.

"Mrs. Black, I am sorry, but if you want this pregnancy to go to term, you must leave the production, the stress is too great, and I cannot allow it. I must also protect the interests of the investors, and right now, it is too risky to let you continue!" The doctor signed the mandatory release forms, and Brady looked on, both sad for his wife, but looking forward to the time at home in Salem to see his father.

"Come on, don't look so glum..after the baby is born, you can come back!" he was comforting her, but her eyes still glistened with the tears of disappointment she was fighting.

"Ok Brady, I guess Salem is where I will be giving birth, make the flight reservations, I will have Jeanetta pack up for us. I think she might like a trip to America as well, we can make a stop and see some shows in New York!" Chloe was perking up, thinking it might be good to see her old friends in Salem.

Sami had been surfing on the internet when she saw the article about Chloe leaving the Auckland Opera Company for reasons given as personal. In the article, Chloe also said her husband and herself would be coming back to America for a few months. As the story of Brady and Chloe had been circulating in the mind of Sami for months, she quickly put her notepad on the screen and began typing furiously.

"Aaaah, I see our weekend has inspired you once again!" EJ came up behind her, kissing the back of her neck.

"Brady is coming back to Salem, probably he will be here with Chloe next week!"the excitement in her voice made him listen more intently than normal, since this was the time he usually devoted to the Wall Street Journal.

"And we should care about that because?"

"EJ, Brady can help us find out why John and that woman are together! I want to know what made my mother go with Stefano!"

"Samantha, I am in contact with Stefano, and he says Marlena is content and quite happy. I am also making arrangements for us to go see her during the Christmas Holidays, with the children. Now, listen, John's personal life is that, his alone! Do not meddle!"

"What makes you think I would meddle?"her smile was coy, but not at all convincing.

Luck was with her, for at that time the kids began coming downstairs to breakfast, and EJ did not have time to answer that question.

"Daddy, are you coming to my dance recital?" she gave a pretty pirouette as she asked the question, twirling out her flowery pink shirt. Jessica was still the fashionista of the family, and she tried and failed in her efforts to make Kacie into her image.

"Of course I am...Kacie, what are you wearing love? Not quite appropriate for school is it?"

Kacie looked down at her jeans, not caring about the obvious rip in the knees, "I like 'em this way Daddy, and this is my t shirt from our camping trip.

'Kacie, sweetie, the shirt is fine, but run back up and change the pants. Those are for play, not school. Have Nanny give you ribbons for your pigtails okay?"Sami was stepping in to suggest compromise. Kacie grimaced, not so much about the pants, as the reference to her hated pigtails. With ribbons around them, they were even more obnoxious..as her ears felt assaulted by the silk or velvet materials poking into them.

"Ace, how is the rocket coming along for you and Justin?" EJ knew they had been working on it in the backyard for a bit, and had promised him he could set the detonator off when they launched it. Both boys then began a jumble of conversation with EJ on the progression of the date of lift off.

With the usual morning confusion going on, Sami figured her plans to see Brady would be easy to map out. Thank God, the kids took up so much of EJ's thoughts, she knew it would help her in her plan to talk with Brady.

EJ picked his briefcase from the counter, as he kissed each of the kids, giving them all a personal instruction or loving message for the day. As he reached out to pull Sami in for a goodbye hug, he whispered in her ear," Leave John alone, do not be bothering your bro---uh..well...just what is Brady to you anyway, step-half brother? Anyhow, let them enjoy their time together, without interference..understood?" he was serious, through the smile he gave her.

"Wow, after that I should be saying 'yes, Rickeee" her sideways glance told him she did not appreciate his warning.

"Better that , than me yelling "Sameeee you got some splaining to do!" His kiss on top of her head, then on her lips were given as he shut the door to leave for the office.

**Chapter XVIII**

The strain was starting to tell in Kristen' face. Sad thing was, she was really enjoying her new career, and showed a real knack for reading people and understanding what made them tick. Her years in the harem trying to maintain herself against the jealousy of the other wives and her work in the Turkish prison helping the women become literate had honed her skills in handling people. The medical stuff was easy enough, the internet could give anyone enough knowledge to work that out.

John however, was something she could not work out. Raphael had been so right. What had it been in her that had made John seem the answer to all her dreams all those years ago. A man who had professed his love to her, a man she had helped in so many ways not including helping him recover his kidnapped daughter, who then betrayed her with Marlena, she was finding now to have been a complete waste of her time.

He had no other interests except her. He did not go to work, he had no hobbies, no appreciation of art or music, and now without the promise of Marlena to rescue, he was as useless as he was boring. How had she ever gotten herself into this?

"Doctor LaDierma?" the voice coming from behind her as she walked down the hall with her files and briefcase made her turn, a bit startled as the files flew from her hand, but with a swift reaction, he had stopped there descent to the floor!

"Thank you, I don't know what made me do that!" Kristen looked into the eyes of one of the most handsome young men she had ever seen. He looked to be in his mid thirties, with a thick head of wavy dark hair, a swarthy complexion, and a set of lips that were full, without being prominent. His smile was warm, but a bit contemplative as he looked her in the eye straight on.

"I was just trying to get your attention..guess I got too much of it..by the way, I am Brandon Walker, I am going to be your community liason director for all of the womens empowerment groups..I will be doing other duties as well, but my main focus will be on your work!" his hand was extended, as he took her case from her hand to free her up to shake.

"Let me say, Doctor, you have done an outstanding job on these, I don't know of any doctor that could have done as well!" His eyebrow arched a bit, as he could not help showing the little irony in his sentence.

"Thank you, and I am sorry I did not make time to find you and welcome you on board, but I was only informed the position had been filled yesterday. Let me rectify that now, I have some time, would you care for a cup of coffee in the cafeteria? My treat!"

After his twenty minute meeting with her, he was still puzzled. He knew he should just take his information to the board, and make her explain. Except she had done such great work. All her group members were effusive in their praise of her, where with Doctor Evans, no one felt completely at ease, it was like always being in the presence of a perfect pod person.

Doctor LaDierma had a sense of humor and a way of pulling people out of their shell Brandon could not help but admire. Except for the little fact of her falsified experience and credentials, he would have loved the opportunity to work with her! It was crazy of him not to expose her, but this was after all Salem...and he was still of a mind to find a way to help Sami find out about her mother.

The Mediterranean sun was warm on her face as Marlena opened up her laptop to send out some emails. She felt badly about her families reaction to her deciding she was destined to be with Stefano, but she was a grown woman, entitled to make her own decisions. They would have to deal with it. Her first letter of course was to Belle, and in it she attached some pictures of herself and Stefano enjoying the life they were embarking on together.

To her, John was a fading memory, and she wondered why she had ever loved him instead of Stefano. The man was kind, witty, generous, and so patient with her memory lapses it was just a pleasure to see his face every morning. Putting this all into to email she sent off to Belle had taken much of the morning, and she had not had time to write to Sami as well. Of course, Sami would understand she had been busy, Sami had always understood when Marlena had her on hold.

"Sami! Sami! When you get this message please call me right away! I got email from Mom, and I may have a lead on where she is from something she wrote in it! Please call me!"

Belle did not know that EJ had always known where Stefano and Marlena were, and he had told Sami not to tell either.

"Don't stress her out more, Shawn is no help with her, and if she is pregnant, then she does not need it! Promise me that Samantha?" EJ had kept his stare on her, wanting to hear her affirmative answer before he left her.

Her head had gone down to look at her shoe as she gave her agreement. She would not stress out her sister with any news that might make her upset. It would be very upsetting to tell her that Marlena was living a great life now, and had no intention or inclination to come back to Salem. Only, if Marlena was trying in the letter to Belle to give a hint of where she was so they could come to her rescue, that was different! It would not be stressing Belle to tell her, it would be helping Belle to figure something out and that could do nothing but reliever her stress? That was the rationale Sami took as she called for a driver to drop her off at her sisters apartment.!

EJ was strolling into his office, and after closing the door to assure privacy he made the call to Stefanos private number.

"EJ, my lovely boy, how are things in Salem?"

"Screwed up once again, thanks to you! What is it about this town you can't just forget about? Why have Kristen here, God don't you think Lexie is enough headache for me, now you send in another crazy?"

"There is nothing crazy about her, a bit high strung, but she is not crazy at all. I mean look how she survived being sold into white slavery. She made the damn sheik a billionaire, and did not do so badly for herself either! I also understand she is making quite a name for herself as a doctor in Salem, this is all priceless..I have not been so amused in years!"

"Is that all this is to you, your own personal funny farm?"

Laughing at that, "My boy, that is exactly it! Salem is a funny farm! You have put it into the exact words!"

" I promised Samantha to help her mother. I am asking you to send her back, as a personal favor to me, and you owe me quite a few. The council is out of your hair, and you have no oversight now..Samantha and I did that for you!"

"Oh EJ, you want to know something, Marlena is sitting on my lap right now, enjoying a mai tai, and the sunset, let me ask her if she wants to go back to Salem...do you my dear?"

He held the phone to her lips and EJ heard the breathy voice of his sainted mother in law.."Hell no!"

**Chapter XIX**

"Well, that did not go as well as I had hoped.." EJ thought aloud, and Chelsea was just walking in with the daily reports stacked on her arms. Seeing the grim look on his face, she laid them on the desk and began to back out while the getting was good.

"Hang about!" was all he said, but the command in his voice made her turn on her heel to face him.

"Could you please do me a favor, I understand there is a new waitress at the Pub, I need for you to find out a bit about her, and do it discreetly please" his order was not explained further, and she knew better by now than to do other than what he asked for.

"Well, I have had lunch there this week with Billie, and she waited on us. Her name is Rose, she is kinda pretty in an old fashioned way..nothing extraordinary, just a sweet person, very good at her job. I know..I know..I will get on it right away!" she saw his annoyance build with each work as he began to put his attention on the mundane business of the daily reports knowing he wanted her on task immediately.

An hour later, she had everything she could google up, and the look on her face when she walked in to EJ to hand it over was scared. "EJ, I am sorry, but there is nothing on her at all, I mean she does not exist in any school, or medical background check..it is like she is a dead person come to life..how could Bo and Hope hire someone without checking them out better than this.? She could be a kidnapper or a murderer!"

"Hardly, but you hit the nail on the head with a dead person coming back to life..only in Salem...and my wife just called to say Johns son is on his way here as well..we have a perfect storm of coincidence brewing!" With the little bit of information Stefano had parted with, the mind of EJ Wells was filling in the pieces of the mosaic bit by bit.

"Never mind on finding anything else out, call Matthew and Harris to meet me at the pub in an hour for lunch. I want to take a look at her for myself now."

Chelsea did as told, but could not help wondering why her boss was so interested in a waitress? Harris however, along with Matthew knew that EJ was seeking out something deeper.

"So, you really think this is Isabella Toscano Black, coming back to haunt old Victor and John?" He reached across the table to a basket of rolls with butter. It was past time to eat for him, and Harris was trying to stop the rumble in his stomach.

"According to Stefano, when she died John gave the body over to an agent of the DiMera medical research team, and it appears they worked another one of those miracles..but she is not aware of who she is, and her appearance has been alterered slightly.."Matthew was handing over the old photo of the woman who had been a beautiful young mother in her prime when she had been taken over by pancreatic cancer.

As Rose bustled about, cheerfully handling the pubs customers all three of them compared her to the picture. Her hair of course was different now, cut into a short wedge effect, but still full, still wavy, only slightly tinged at the ears with a hint of grey. The warm brown eyes still twinkled at the people she came in contact with, and when she approached the table to take their order, none of the three could help but return the smile she beamed out upon them. Her effect was one of an extraordinary aura of loving warmth, as though she were born to make people love her while she returned the love back. Bo had remarked to Hope that business went down by a quarter when she took her days off, and Hope had to agree with him.

Samantha took that moment to walk in, her hand grasping in exasperation that of her youngest daughter. EJ looked in shock at the sight of Kacie, no longer in the braids she despised, but now sporting a very short bob, and a look of satisfaction!

"EJ, look what she has done! She cut her beautiful braids off this morning..I just got her out of the hairdressers after they managed to make her hair look semi presentable..and she is in the dance recital next week!" Kacie looked up at her mother, and saw she was near tears which made her sad. It was just that the pigtails had been one of the major trials she had endured since her hair had grown back!

Rose had overheard the conversation as she returned to the table with the orders of coffee. Kacie had begun to explain herself to her father when she stopped and stared at the waitress, before smiling broadly at her in absolute adoration.

"Mommy, look, an angel is here!" Kacie tugged on her mothers hand to get her to look at who she was speaking about. Sami looked up, and when her eyes met those of Rose, it was like seeing an old beloved friend from years ago..

"Isabella, you look so much like Isabella!" it was a whisper, not meant to be heard, but Rose also saw the same image mentally, but in a fleeting way..a thought came into her head, but she did not voice it.."Sami, Sami and Eric.."

As quickly as the memory flashed in both their minds, it disappaited. Only Kacie was not stopping her reverie as she kept her eyes fixed on the trim figure that was efficiently setting up the bowls of chowder along with the coffee in front of her customers.

"I know you are a real angel..it's okay, we all need angels so don't worry. Daddy! You ever meet an angel afore?" she had climbed up onto his lap, and besides jabbering on about the angel in the restaurant, she was busy opening up cracker packages and popping them into her mouth. EJ brushed the crumbs from his suit pants, smiling down on her as he rubbed on the very short haircut.

Sami was still silent, not knowing what it was about this waitress that drew her attention so much, only that she felt a warmth and comfort around her that she had not felt since..Isabella..once again the name was on her lips, but it was not possible. Then she felt EJ staring at her strangely, as if he could tell what she was thinking as well.

"Do you know her Samantha? Do you remember her at all? I know it is strange to you, but you are seeing who you think you are..it is Isabella!"

Sami knew he was not lying to her, but it was all so surreal..she had been told by John how Isabella had died and been buried on a beautiful hillside in Italy as had been her wish. He had told how he had taken her in his arms to her favorite song by Bette Midler, and they had whisper sung to the "Glory of Love" while she had breathed her last, making Sami cry for the woman who had been such a wonderful and fun mother to her and Eric.

"Did Stefano do this? Is this his way of making up for taking my mother from me again?" Samantha had always been quick on the uptake, and EJ gave her a nod of affirmation.

"How can he be cruel enough to keep her away all these years..my God, Brady needed her! Eric and I needed her..John needed her!" Sami was trying to keep her voice low, but each outrage she thought about raised it a decibel!

Kacie was stunned into silence by her mothers anger. "Mom, don't worry, the angel is gonna fix it all now! She is gonna take away so much sad now..this is a good angel, and she loves everyone!" the finality of her thinking on this found its way around the table. Harris and Matthew really had no clues about why this woman was so important to the history of Salem, but EJ had long been schooled on who fit in where. He trusted in his daughters visions now, there had been too many times she had been proven right. Her gift was something he respected, and this little girl had his undivided attention now!

**Chapter XX**

Only John could have picked a worse time to enter the pub. He had been in three times since yesterday, and not for the chowder. He saw Samantha before she saw him, and almost started to walk out immediately when Rose called out to him.

"Mr. Black, I am so glad you came in, you left this here in your booth yesterday!" She produced his leather jacket, the one Sami knew he was so attached to. He never left it behind, even as a little girl she remembered he would always look about for it to make sure he had not been careless with it. Rose was handing it over to him, and the look in her eye suggested maybe she had enjoyed having it in her possession. Sami saw the way she looked at John, and could picture what had happened as Rose had picked up the jacket.

When John had left it behind, Rose had thought she should run after him with it, but something made her just roll it up and place it behind the bar. The smell of it was so inticing, just like him, and it smelled of limes and possibly fine pipe tobacco. She had not inquired about him to either Bo or Hope, figuring he was so far above her station. Her eyes had strayed as she had waited on him to the left ring finger, and though it did bear a mark of a ring long worn, it was empty now.

So she had left the jacket behind the bar, knowing he would soon be back, and having it in her possession would give her reason to speak with him on things besides his order.

None of this exchange was lost on the the Wells family table. EJ looked at Samantha with a warning to be silent, Harris and Matthew waited to see if EJ would win that battle, while Kacie looked pleased as punch!

"Hi Grandpa John! See! We got us a angel for our Pub..her name is Rose, and you should take her on a date!"and no one could tell whose face was redder, that of John Blacks or that of Rose Grayson, but to her credit, she soldiered on, bussing the table while John looked at her with his puzzled look, and the one eyebrow cocking up.

"Hey there, Kacie at the bat! John gave his attention to his granddaughter, and not saying anything to Sami, he would wait until she addressed him, it worked better that way.

"Do you see my hair? Now when I swing, those dang ribbons won't bug my ears anymore!" Kacie was in T Ball, and had called John to tell him about it, wanting to share something with the only grandfather she knew even though she knew her Mommy and John were mad with each other. Looking at her mother underneath her lashes, it was good to see that her mommy didn't seem mad now, she was still watching the Rose lady Angel Waitress as she moved about the pub.

"John, please sit and join us, Samantha and I have some news to share with you anyway." Sami looked at EJ as if he had gone out of his mind, but in front of Kacie she would not make her mother's husband uncomfortable, as Kacie and Ace both adored him.

"Oh Yeah, say what?" Johns powers of concentration still seemed a bit slow to EJ, and he gave a questioning glance at Harris to see if he got the same vibe, and in answer got a arch of his brow..with Matthew also seeming to reach the same conclusion. John was either getting senile or was under some kind of drug therapy. Kristen would have needed some way to keep him under control, and she had a whole hospital to be her supplier now.

It was a cauldron of Salem history cooking up in the little restored pub this day. Bo had still not figured out why he felt such a tie with Rose, but it was like they fit together in a way that was so comfortable as they worked side by side. Samantha was looking at John, wondering if and when he would make the connection. He seemed to want to concentrate, but something was holding him back, and she was afraid to let him know what she knew, except she knew she had to tell Eric, a boy who had loved Isabella to distraction, his heart had broken when she had to tell him she would not be with him and he had to go with Marlena and Roman. Excusing herself, she took her purse and went outside to make the call.

"Eric! Hi Baby Bro! How are you and Trey doing? Tell him we all said hi, and the two of you have to come see us soon..I need new clothes.and maybe he can convince Kacie it is not that bad being a girl and make up some killer outfits for her..ok Eric, no I did not call about my wardrobe..it really is hard sometimes having a twin who knows you like this..but ok..I am just gonna say it..I just saw Isabella in the pub!!"

Eric was busy as he spoke, setting up the backdrop for the next shots he was doing, but when he heard his sister say that he dropped the entire line of pipe and drape he had been assembling while speaking to her on his earphone.

"Sami, I am not really up for jokes, so Bo hired someone who looks like Isabella, you call me up about this? Anyway, how are the kids? And you are right, we do need to come up and see you, we also have some important news!"

"Oh God Eric..thank you, can you come this weekend? Both of you, I can have the back room fixed up for the two of you, and you can take new pictures of the kids..please say you will come, and you can see what I mean about Isabella..it is really her..the DiMera machine went into action again is the only way I can explain it, and besides, I need your help in talking with Mom!"

"Ok, I think we can both manage a week each..let me get my travel agent to see if she can put my frequent miles to use!"

Sami was peeking once more into the interior of the pub, following the movements of Rose as she performed her duties. This made her unaware of the couple who were walking up behind her, wondering if she was going to move aside so they could get inside for some food.

"Sami girl, I think you may find they will let you in, I mean as far as I had heard you were pretty much forgiven your sins by the town, may take me and Chloe a bit longer considering you almost got me killed and her maimed!" The voice of Brady Black made Sami jump, and when she turned to face him she saw a man who still held her in the same contempt he had always felt for her.

**Chapter XXI**

Chloe put her hand out to keep Brady in check. The full story of how her infection had happened had never been told, just that Samantha Brady and her involvement with Tony DiMera as Stan had something to do with it. Brady tended to fill in the blanks as he wanted to, but Chloe had a less hot headed view.

"You look good Sami, I guess the life of celebrated authoress has agreed with you?" Chloe was smiling calmly, looking Madonna like as her pregnancy was revealed by the parting of her coat. Her hand was moving out to take Brady's arm and move past Sami into the pub, but before they could do it, Sami was frantically pulling them away.

"Believe me Brady, you don't want to go in there yet, listen to me, for once in your life, don't let what you think about me keep you from hearing what I want to tell you.."

"Sami, there is nothing you could ever say to me that would be of any interest at all, now move so Chloe and I can go in and say hi to Bo and Hope. We have missed them, and then we want to go see Dad and Marlena."

Sami groaned then, knowing Brady had no idea of everthing that had taken place over the past year. His shock at how his father was acting would be nothing though, once he found out his mother was alive, but not remembering anything of her prior life! It was important that she stop him before he blew everything! He had been an infant when his mother had died, but the memory of her had been kept alive by John with photos that Sami knew Brady had spent hour upon hour looking at. John had also mentioned to Marlena that Brady insisted that his mother had come to him in visions...Sami knew from Kacie not to dismiss visions anymore..

"You can't go in...this is a private party, it has been arranged for months! Look, I am bringing John over to the house tonight anyway to see the kids, and Mom is out of town, so why don't you just take my driver..there he is now! He will take you to the house and you can wait there for the rest of us. You can meet your step niece and two of your nephews..the other one will be coming back with us, Kacie, her name is Kacie, and there is Justin, and Jessica, and Ace!" between the lies, the truth, and her general fear of what Brady would say once he recognized Rose, Sami stammered enough to make Brady change his mind about going in.

"Ok, well I don't want to break up a private party..but no I don't want your driver or anything from you, we will just head over to the penthouse.." but again Sami broke in with new information, this time glad it was the truth.

"Mom and John sold it, and like I said, Mom is out of town, and John is heading out to our house, please, Brady, just listen..Chloe..please make him listen. You look like you need some rest anyway, and I will phone Tippin to let him know to take care of you..don't be selfish Brady, Chloe needs taking care of!"

She might have lost the entire battle then, except EJ came to look for her, and when he saw who she was talking to, his gushing began which solved her problem!

"Chloe Lane! Oh my God! It is you! You have become one of my favorite opera singers of all time, and when I saw you in Australia singing as Lucia I was entranced! So you have come back to Salem with..."EJ looked at the tall blonde man who seemed to have traded his insolent looks towards Samantha over to him.."I believe you must be Brady Black, how wonderful to meet you at last!"

EJ could see the look of desperation in his wife's eyes, and it was a tribute to the complete understanding they had of each others methods and motives that he read her plea without using any words.

"How is the party in there going? Will it be much longer?" and with that opening, EJ helped seal the deal.

"I don't think the master of ceremonies is even finished yet, so I am going to bring Kacie out, and we probably should get on home..John will be there by the time we get there, so Brady..Chloe, why don't you just ride out to the house with us? John will be so thrilled to see you, I'm sure!" his wink was caught by Samantha and her sigh of relief was palpable.

What won Brady over finally, was the look Chloe gave him, he could read the exhaustion in her face, and wanted to see her off her feet along with some food in her.

Having been through pregnancy with Will and the twins, Sami knew her ally was now Chloe and she pressed her advantage.

"Look, I know the Salem Inn is booked full, I don't suppose you made reservations Brady? Probably just figured on staying with John and Mom right? Now you know that is not possible, but look at you Chloe, I mean you are practically asleep on your feet..when are you due..and who is going to be your doctor here? Brady, did you even think about that? My God! Look, EJ is on the hospital board, he will make any arrangements you need to see someone..EJ do something, get a doctor to come to the house..I will get Kacie and get Harris to drive us all! " Sami spoke too fast for anyone to object, and Brady and Chloe found themselves situated in the mini van along with Sami and Kacie, being driven by the stern but efficient body guard type who was called Harris.

Sami made several calls while EJ and Matthew followed behind, the first one to Tippin informing him of more guests coming. Tippin took the news in stride, nothing madam ever did was surprising to him. Kacie sat next to her mother, quietly eyeing the couple sitting in the middle seats ahead of her. This was her Uncle Brady and Aunt Chloe. She was not sure of why, but she felt like Brady needed a hug, so she unbuckled herself and flung her arms about his neck, startling him into yelling out "Hey! Sit back down in your seat!" His voice was harsh, and Kacie was not used to being yelled at, the tears formed at the corner of her eyes, stopping just short of her long dark lashes.

"I'm sorry Uncle Brady, I just felt you miss your mommie...I always want a hug when I miss my mommie". Her voice trembled as she made the apology. Sami looked ashen, once again coming into contact with the gift Kacie always found the most inopportune time to unleash!

Chloes face crinkled in the smile that awakened the full beauty of her features. "Hey, Kacie, he does like hugs, he just wants you to stay safe in the seat belt!" As she said this, her hand reached over to pinch Brady as punishment for his rudeness to the child. He took it like a man, looking back at Kacie and giving her a softer look as he admitted the truth of her words.

"Yes Kacie, I do miss my Mommie, I have missed her all my life as she died when I was very young, please, once we are at the house and you can do so safely, I would very much love to have that hug!"

**Chapter XXII**

Stefano accepted the snifter of cognac handed him by the servant without so much as a glance upward to offer thanks. He swirled it around the goblet, sniffed the tantalizing aroma, then sipped the amber liquid, savoring it as he savored looking at Marlena as she sat across from him.

All of the deference given to him he took as his due, except when it came to Marlena, when she was in his presence he could only give thanks to the Gods that at last she returned the feelings he had kept inside himself for her for decades. Each day she spent with him took her further and further away from the Salem existence she had once desired above anything. Now she was appreciating the opportunities he had always wished to present to her, reveling in the travel to exotic places, meeting the movers and shakers of the world. Marlena was in the element she had always wanted, but feared seeking out lest her image as earth mother be shaken. Truth be told, she had never had especially strong maternal instincts, maybe with Belle, but her other children had been like small satellites in her orbit, existing only to validate her status in the city. She did not miss dealing with the patients she really had never had a talent for curing anyway. This life was what she had been born to, and she was determined now to live it to the fullest!

"Marlena, you know that Samantha and Belle are badgering EJ to bring them here to see you. They are convinced I have bewitched you, and all it will take is them meeting you for an hour and you will want to return to Salem. So, when shall I let them come, for if we do not let them, they will never believe you have chosen this life of your own free will?" his hand extended out to her, and she followed onto his lap. When his arms encircled her, she felt the protection of the Phoenix once again, and her head leaned dreamily onto his chest.

"I don't care, they can come whenever, and I am not going back...but tell me, how has John reacted to Isabella being back in Salem? I hope they find their way back to each other, now that she is healthy once more, I want him to be happy!" Stefano was enchanted with the way her eyes closed and her lashes made shadows on her cheeks. This was the expression she always wore when at her happiest. He had never thought to see it on her face when she was with him, it had always been reserved for John.

"My dear, you do not think the lovely Kristen is destined to be his soulmate?" Stefano could not help but give a hearty guffaw as he posed the question to her.

"Not in a million years! He hates her now! I mean all that business with how she deceived him and locked me away in that cellar! No..he belongs with Isabella, that is what I believe will make him happy..this will be so wonderful when you have it all tied up neatly..I get what I deserve, you get what you deserve, and John will get what he deserves! It will be like a fairy tale come true!" once again her eyes closed in utter bliss. At the sight, Stefano was overcome with the desire to kiss her. So many years of obsessing over this woman, wanting her, and having her treat him as the enemy, and after this short time she was his completely. Life was good, and he would not have Samantha and Belle ruin it now!

Kristen looked at the number ringing through on her cell phone and answered it irritably. "Yes Father, what is it this time?

"Daughter, is that any way to greet the father who has always looked out for your interests? Now, give me a greeting fitting from a loving daughter to a loving father", the voice was teasing, but Kristen felt the undercurrent and decided discretion was really the better part of valor.

"Father, really , it is always wonderful to hear from you, but I was just on my way out to meet John at the Pub for dinner." She glanced at her watch, and saw she was late as it was, which tended to bring all of John's inherent insecurities out anyway.

"I would rethink that, John is not the man for you, and he never was. Why not reconsider my offer..I think you and Rafael would make excellent caretakers of several of my ventures. Your talents are wasted in Salem, and John is dragging you down. Please, come see me soon, I want to settle things before I decide to.." his voice trailed off as the kisses of Marlena made his eyes close in satisfaction once again.

"What? What are you deciding Father?" Kristen felt her interest perk up, apparently the charms of the insipid Doctor Evans had worked their magic on her father once again, and Kristen could see the possibilities available to her. Stefano it seemed was now willing to give up the reins of power for the velvet handcuffs of a womans love. EJ had done a credible job, but it was increasingly apparent that his desire to create an aura of respectability for his children was getting in the way of him being able to run the empire the way Stefano needed. She contemplated her long red nails while she made the mental calculations as to what he seemed to be offering.

"Just come, come as soon as you can, Christmas would be nice!" Stefnao hung up the phone to take Marlena into his arms. He knew Kristen was undoubtedly making her travel arrangements the moment he had placed the phone back in its cradle.

The soft knock on her office door interrupted her as she had been looking up flights into the Mediterranean. When Brandon had poked his head in, she had given him permission to enter, for some reason she felt a special kinship with this young social worker. The brief time she had known him he had managed to impress her with his quiet dedication. Even though she had not the same interests as the patients mostly to her were like lab rats to further her knowledge of the human condition and its weaknesses, he still amused her with his enthusiasm.

"Hey Doctor, I just wanted to let you know I have done three of those interviews and expect to have the other six done by tomorrow..so that being said, I wondered if we might have lunch together and get to know one another a bit better since we will be working closely together, very closely I hope". Brandon knew he was flirting, but when she looked back at him, her eyes did not show any discomfort, quite the opposite as if she had expected this from him.

"Brandon, that really sounds lovely, but I have to stop off at my..actually mine and Johns house, would you mind having lunch with me there anyway? John is out, and we will have privacy to..talk..We do have so much to cover don't we?" as she spoke, one hand went to the button on the top of her blouse at her throat, slipping it open, and revealing the pulse in her neck to his gaze.

He was aware of her now as a woman, not just a colleague, and he also was thinking this was not a good idea, but if it helped him find out about what had happened to Samantha's mother, what the hell? He had done worse for causes he believed in before, including courting and bedding a mobsters daughter to learn other secrets on behalf of Sami!

**Chapter XXIV**

Harris pulled up into the driveway, and after EJ, John, and Matthew had alighted he talked into his cell phone to call his wife.

"I am probably gonna be awhile Chan, Sami has gone Lucie Ricardo on us once more."

This was a familiar signal to Chandler that the Wells household was in for major drama, but knowing Sami as well as she did, it was always for what she thought were the best of reasons! "Will you be home in time for dinner, I can feed Liam and keep it warm for you?"

He caught the secondary meaning of her words, and laughed softly. "You do that, I will wrap it up here as quickly as I can!" Then he opened the door and followed his boss and his protégé into the house where Brady and Chloe were awaiting the shock of their lives.

"See, Brady, I told you John would be coming out..John..look who I found outside the pub today! Now, I know I should have brought them in, but I have some news to share, and I thought it best that we all be together, this is not easy to believe..but I have proof! Positive proof!"

EJ was moving over to stand next to his wife, as he saw the looks Brady hurled her way. Again, what had happened with Nicole and Chloe had not been one of the finest moments in the history of Samantha Brady, but she had been instrumental in saving Brady from one of his Cousin Tony's more unstable moments. He did not plan to stand by and leave her vulnerable to the assaults of one who owed her his life.

"And what makes you think we would believe anything you have to say, or that we even want to hear it? I am only here to see my Dad.!" Brady was stepping over to smile at his father and reach out to embrace him, not understanding why his father held back, and did not return the hug.

"Wow! Brady, that was Eric on the phone, he managed to get a flight, and he will be here in two hours! Can we wait a bit, I will have Tippin feed you all some dinner..Chloe, you can have a bath and a nap! John, you know Justin and Kacie have been wanting you to give them some baseball coaching.."Sami was breathlessly trying to keep all her balls juggling in the air, and waiting on Nanny and Lorene to come down with all the scrapbooks of how life had been when Isabella had been with them. Her mother had made sure they did not remain with John and her after they had remarried, and Sami had asked to keep them. She knew in a way, they should have gone to Brady, but she never could bear to give them up. Most of them were pictures of her and Eric living with John, and the experiences of a family they had taken with Isabella. All of the pages had beautiful memories of picnics, school plays, sporting events..Isabella had been a mother in so many ways to Eric and Samantha.

The lack of affection shown to Brady by John was lost on no one in the room, and Brady thought he had figured it out when he noticed that Marlena was not among the ones Sami had at the house.

"Dad, where is your wife?"Brady still sometimes felt coldly towards Marlena, but he had tried for the sake of family closeness to try.

John took a moment to shake off his lethargy and try to make up a story to satisfy everyone in the room. He knew Sami and Belle both loathed him, but for the sake of the grandchildren they kept up a happy front. Now he was going to have to tell his son what he had kept hidden, and he did not know how.

"Marlena has left me, it happened quite suddenly, and I did not want to worry you with it. I figured you had enough on your plate with Basic Black-Asian Operations, and Chloe's career..but don't worry, I am back with Kristen and Marlena is with..."his voice faded as he seemed to realize where and who his wife was with, and he could not continue. There were so many times when Kristen seemed to be harsh and he would find himself thinking about the woman he had shared so much of his life with. They had very limited contact, only discussing matters of the splitting of assets, and she seemed very content with Stefano, as if that is who she had always belonged with. It felt so odd to know he was obsessed with Kristen, knowing none of his family approved, and now he saw Brady looking at him with the same contempt that Belle showed. The story of all Kristen had done was legendary within the family, and now his father was sleeping with her. It did not seem possible.

It was a shaken Brady who turned his back to his father upon hearing the news. Sami was trying to diffuse the situation, but saw nothing was working as she had hoped.

"Brady, look, why don't you follow Tippin up and take a rest with Chloe while we get dinner prepared. I think Eric will be here shortly after, and Bo and Hope are planning on coming out as well..when you are fully informed as to what is going on, I think you will be very happy..and I am hoping once all of this is out in the open, we can all learn how much we have to be thankful for and how much we are a family..a very strange one, but a family.." Sami faltered a bit, but she soldiered on, not bothered by the hateful look Brady still fixed on her. He had never particularly liked her, he always remembered her history with Belle, then again, he had not much use for any of the Brady women, and Marlena was included in that group. His look of disgust at the whole group was followed by a shrug as he headed up the stairs behind Tippin.

"Well, that went reasonably well, don't you think darling?' EJ was pouring a stiff shot of scotch, handing another off to John, then Matthew and Harris. To his shock, Samantha came over, took the bottle from his hands and reached for her own glass.

Wiping a bit of the liquor from her mouth, she replaced the now drained glass and turned to face her step father.

"You still don't know what has happened do you John? Stefano again has messed in our lives, but he always thinks it is for our own good..you let him take Isabella after she died. Why would you do that John? Why? Did he promise you something for that?" If she had thrown ice water on him, he could not have been more shaken.

"Is she back?" without realizing he had seen her in the pub today, John knew what Sami was talking about.

The secret John had withheld was now known. That small hotel in Tuscany where he had watched as Isabella had breathed her last was still sharp in his memory, he could see the full details of the patio where he had carried her in his arms for the last minutes of her life, his eyes shut and he could smell the fragrance of the roses that had graced the planters. Her eyes had closed, finally ending the pain she had smiled to keep him from seeing. Then his tears had come, quietly dropping onto her face, like liquid kisses. From out of the darkness the men of Stefano had come, as promised.

"We think we may have a treatment, but it may be years. Go back to Salem, live your life. If we can help, we will return her to you all in time." John had wanted so much for it to happen he had given in, but so many years had passed, he never expected anything to come of it, and once again he had moved on, first with Kristen, then Marlena. Isabella had been relegated to a portion of his heart he did not visit often as the pain was too intense to feel.

**Chapter XXV**

The last glass was wiped dry and placed in the mirrored cabinets behind the bar. Rose had been the luckiest find ever for Bo and Hope as trying to run this establishment in the same air of cheer and hominess that had been present with Sean and Caroline took a special touch. Lisa had been too traumatized by the bombings and the deaths that had taken place there to want to return, but finding Rose was like finding another Lisa who could also manage! Hope had been able to see to her family without worrying about the Pub, and Bo now thought about his chances at going back to work at the Salem P.D.

It was only the plea in Samis voice and of Johns as well that made Bo ask Rose to go with him to the DiMera Mansion.

"Look, my niece wants to plan this very large party, and she is asking for us to cater it. She is so impressed with you that she insists you be part of the planning, you know me, I am not a detail man at all. If you had not come along to help us out, this place would be shut down by the health department by now!"

Bo was skeptical about what he had learned from Sami and John, but he had the evidence of the Phoenix machines miracles in his own house, and he thanked God daily for the little red headed boy who was such a protective influence over his little sister. Zach coming back had been what had saved his and Hopes sanity after the pub explosions. He still had no love for the DiMeras, but some of what they did in the world was good, if only it was not so unbalanced by the bad.

Her watched showed it was almost eleven, and she had been working since ten that morning, so she had wanted to refuse. Why was it when she looked at Bo she could refuse him nothing? In a short period of time he had become like a little brother to her, filling a void in her that was unexplicable. It also seemed to her from the day she had stepped off the bus, each hour in Salem felt like this was where she belonged. One afternoon she had stepped into a second hand book store and picked up a small well worn prayer book from an obscure religious group, but when she had picked it up it had fallen open to a writing that she had begun to memorize, and each day it had kept a light aflame in her heart. Though it had several verses, she memorized this one line and repeated it often under her breath when things had threatened to overwhelm her.

"Refresh and Gladden my Spirit, I lay all my affairs in your keep, I will be a happy and joyful being, and will not let sorrow surround me!"

These words she kept to her heart, and when nights befell her and she wondered how and why she came to be in this town, she knew somehow it was for some purpose. As she saw the disappointment in Bo's face when he read her inclination to say no, her smile lit up her doe like brown eyes enough for him to return the smile! If this was his sister Isabella returned to him by some twist of fate and the interference of both God and the DiMeras, all he would be was grateful!

Kristen woke up stretching, it had been an exhaustive session with Brandon. Turning to the side of the bed, her shock at seeing him gone turned quickly to anger. The idea of him getting up without first waking her was insulting, and to picture him possibly walking through the penthouse was troubling. She was usually very careful about leaving nothing incriminating behind where John might find it, but this time, she knew her actions had been most indiscreet. Sleeping with Raphael under Johns nose was one thing, he knew his place, and all her secrets were his secrets anyway. Throwing on the silk wrap she kept at the bedside, she had headed to the bathroom where to both her relief and annoyance she heard the shower running. The outline of his body in the glass doors made her breath catch sharply, and she knew she wanted more of the sensations he had given her earlier. Dropping the wrap to the floor, she opened the shower door and joined him as his eyes gave her an appreciative once over before he pulled her up against him, then pinned her to the shower wall.

Brandon was not one to give quarter in his lovemaking, and as Kristen dried off, she reveled in the bruises she saw forming on her legs and chests, but giggled as she formulated her excuses she would be giving later to John. Almost as an afterthought she picked up Brandons watch from the counter to check the time. She could not believe the time, it was almost eight in the evening, and this had started out to be a simple nooner on her free time! Why had John not called, and why was Raphael not reporting in to her on exactly where John was. Her eyes began to slant as she watched Brandon dress, his hands going in a seamless motion as he tucked and zipped in a fluid movement. He avoided her eyes, but when he looked at his watch he also knew that Sami would have had the time she needed to get everyone out to her home. That was all she had asked him for, this time.

His pants pocket carried what he thought would help Samantha even more, as she had lain in the bed sleeping from what he had to admit was some of his best work ever, Brandon had found her lap top and downloaded all her files to the disk. If the evidence to back up what he had discovered about the competent Doctor LaDierma was there, then a lot of crimes in Salem were about to be solved and righted. That in itself would be a minor miracle as crimes in Salem were swept under the rug more often than storylines in poorly written soap operas. Patting the spot in his pocket where the disk resided, he then stopped to bring the lady who was bending to slip her underwear on up in another embrace.

"I better get going, at least I was smart enough to cancel the meeting I had scheduled, did you get your calendar cleared?"he was doing his best to appear solicitous, while looking past her in longing at the door so he could make his escape.

"Yes, yes I did, tell me, how come you were so sure we would need this much time?" Kristen's instincts were beginning to kick in, and she felt the small hairs on the back of her neck stiffen in suspicion. Raphael should be calling by now, and as if on cue, her cell phone rang from the living room.

"Had enough of the boy toy yet? I thought you might want to know where Johnnie boy is right now."

"Oh shut up, I know where he is, something about helping coach his step daughters kids as I recall, yes, the note is in my day planner..and as for the other, when I need diversion it is my business, and not yours! I will thank you not to bring it up again!"

"Kristen, you want Stefano to give it all to you, then you need to control your other impulses, this guy is not what he appears to be, didn't you know he was once in love with Sami Brady? From what I can tell, he may still have those feelings for her, and if he does, then why can't you understand he would be willing to bring you down if it made him look good to her? "Raphael knew he treaded on thin ice, Kristen prided herself on how she was a woman no man could resist for long. Her years in the harem of the sheik had given her training in pleasing men that had served her interests well.

"Ok, so besides giving me the morality lecture, what else did you have on John?"

"Kristen, something big is going down, and it seems like half of damn Salem is now parked on the DiMera Mansion grounds. Now Bo is there, and he has that new waitress from the Pub with him. If I try to get any closer, EJ's men are gonna make me..but I tell you, there must be something going on in there..I think you might want to call Stefano and arrange the meeting. We need to make the move soon! If Samantha and her sister get to Marlena before Stefano finishes up, this whole set up will fall like a house of cards!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter XXVI**

Bo drove his pickup up the winding road that lead to the Wells/DiMera Estate, giving Rose a sideways glance as she looked out the window taking in the view of the lights sparkling off the river as it wound its way along the canyon area.

"That drive there leads up to the Kirakis place, second largest house in this area, and owned by my biological but bastard of a father!" He let his feelings out to her, then wondered what would be her reaction if she ever remembered that Victor was also her father if she did indeed turn out to be Isabella.

"Yes, I have heard Hope speak of him sometimes at the Pub. I am so sorry that you and someone that important in your life have a rift like that. If I ever find out I have relatives I really hope we can be part of each others life, if it was not for you and Hope, and the Pub customers, I think I would feel as though I were completely adrift..having no family anchor is a bit like being cast out on a sea, with waves that can overpower you!"

Rose thought for a moment, then opened up her purse and the book with the verse she had now worn to wrinkled overuse, reading it and willing herself to follow the meaning of the words. Luckily she did have a natural natural tendency to optimism, so the reassuring pat on the arm she gave Bo was as much for herself as him. "You know, all of a sudden I am so happy I decided to come with you tonight! The Pub can use the business, and I bet we are going to get so much exposure with Mrs. Wells party nothing is going to be the same!"

"You may be right about that Rose, you may be right!" Bo was tempted to enlighten her, but Sami had been so sure it would work better if everyone who had once been a part of Isabellas life could be present to help her remember the life she had once led.

Victor was in his study, trying to submerge the grief he still felt for the loss of Hana within the scotch bottle he kept trying to empty, as well as keep alive his plans to find who had managed to lure her to her death on that rooftop. When Nico had come in with the phone, he had nearly refused to take the call, especially when he learned it was from Sami Wells. When he heard what she wanted to tell him, he was even more inclined to wish he had just told Nico to hang up on her.

"Look, Victor, just come over here now! You know how the Phoenix kept you alive, and it also was responsible for Zach coming back. Think about him, he is still your grandson! John has admitted that he gave her body over to Stefano's teams, but he never bothered to check back with them to see if they made any progress. Once he was with Mom he just wanted to forget Isabella! But I swear, she is alive, and Stefano has sent her back to Salem for a reason!" talking to Victor was not something she enjoyed, there was much bad blood between the Wells, and the Kirakis family, then to throw in the blood line of the DiMeras as well was to ask for big trouble!

"I am going to do this for the sake of satisfying my curiosity, and also to find out if John will admit to not giving my daughter a decent burial..what in Gods name was he thinking to hand her over to those goons? For all he knows Stefano might have been trying to use her spare body parts to keep his rotten hearth still beating!"

"Look, Victor, this all has to do with Stefano keeping my mom away, I think he is giving us Isabella in exchange, but it is not going to work! Isabella belongs here with all of us, even you, but so does Mom. Stefano does not deserve to get away with this, and you can help us bring Isabella back as well! She was your daughter, and I know you loved her very much, or at least as much as you are capable of loving anyone!"

Sighing, Victor relented and signaled for Nico to bring the car around. Philip and Annaliese were upstairs in their room fighting again, and Kate was out with a friend having a few martinis. What would it hurt to make the drive over to the Wells home and see just exactly what the hell Sami was trying to pull.

Sami pulled out her notes, and checked off one last piece of her puzzle, then set about giving Tippin and Lorene instructions. She had just heard from Eric, he and Trey were landed, and on the way out in the rental car. It would take them about a half hour to get there, and by then everyone else would be present. EJ had stood back, the look of amazment and amusement he kept giving her both annoyed but flattered her. When she was out to unravel a mystery she could not be dissuaded, and she was sure of what this one would reveal.

Brady and Chloe got up from the very comfortable bed that Tippin had turned down from them, having the nap had helped their jet lag, and Chloe found her stomach rumbling from the need to have some more food! The snack of cheese and fruit Tippin had sent up was gone, and Brady had to smile as he watched her try and get a few more nibbles off the apple core. He could hear another arrival downstairs, and started to peek out the door, but was hindered by the knock that stopped him.

"Brady! Open up, it's me! Belle!" she was not even waiting in her hurry to get to see her brother after so long! It had been over five years!

"Oh God Belle!" Brady had swung the door open, and pulled her into his arms, not even noticing his little niece who stood up against the stair railing, not knowing what to make of this very tall blonde man who had swooped her Mommy up swinging her about!

"Why didn't you leet anyone know? When Sami called me to come over I could not believe it! Chloe! Look at you! When are you due? Should you have traveled this far in your condition? Oh, but I am so glad you did!" Belle then remembered her daughter Claire, now nine years old, and looking more like her mother every day!

Brady was trying to get a word in, but first he knelt down to introduce himself to a niece he barely remembered. "Well, since you are here, Chloe, how about we just go home with Belle, being under Sami's roof gives me cold chills!"

"Brady, please, Sami is not the person you thought she was, in fact I doubt you really knew her at all, we all owe her a great deal..and I love her very much!"

"Belle, leopards don't change their spots, and Sami has never done anything for anyone but herself her whole life and you know it as well as I do!"

EJ had appeared from the corner just in time to hear Brady give his opinion of his wife.

"I understand you might have had some misunderstandings with my wife in the past, but I would hope after tonight you might have some inkling of what she suffered, and I hope never to hear you say a word against her again in my presence..this one is forgiven, the next one will not be!" EJ extended his hand for shaking as he finished, Brady hesitated, but under the eyes of Chloe, Belle, and his niece he relented and gave his hand as well.

"Samantha has sent me to fetch you, Eric has just arrived, along with your father, and your Grandfather. Bo is here too, and someone I think you are going to be very pleased and surprised to meet!"

**Chapter XXVII**

Kristen lit up the cigarette she felt she needed to fortify herself as she made the call to her Father. Everything that Rafael had reported to her was suspiciously like the devilment that Stefano found so amusing these days. He had given up the day to day simple evils of ordering murder or tormenting old enemies. Nowadays he found his pleasure in just creating situations that gave him distractions from his daily required hook up to the Phoenix, he realized he would not live forever, but what time he had was going to be lived on his terms.

Those terms included Marlena. There was no way he would ever give her up, and it was becoming clear to him that Kristen and John were not going to be the couple he had always wanted them to be. John had too long lived an uncomplicated life with Marlena, he existed only to rescue her, and worship her, but now Stefano wanted that position in her life, and he had it. Never would he relinquish it.

"Papa, nice work bringing in the saintly bride..but you know it may still backfire on you!" Kristen knew how his mind worked, and he loved that about her. Too bad of all his children, this one, who was no blood relation seemed to be the most capable of reading his plans.

He chuckled as he waved away the nurse who was trying to take his readings before allowing him to sit upright after the machine was brought down to the negative readings signaling his full wakefulness.

"Kristen, darling, how nice to hear from you too! I see you and Raphael are as on the ball as ever! Nothing gets past you, and that is so refreshing to me!"

"I don't care Papa, if I have to eliminate her I will! If I want to leave John it will be my choice, not his!" she stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray with a movement so hard, the glass container fell to the floor and shattered. This only intensified her ire, as she bent to clean the mess. The small spark of the cigarette that had escaped to rest and smolder beneath the sofa was unseen, as she continued her tirade against this man who was once again trying to ruin her life!

"Listen to me, and listen good..I am still the head of all of this, and no one disobeys me, least of all you! I could put you back in that hole in Turkey as easily as keep you as a respected therapist at this hospital..and it is all relative to me! You will not harm a hair on that woman's head, and do not even try to tell me you are not tiring of John! I see worrying about him did not keep you from enjoying the favors of Brandon Walker on this very day! "

She was not shocked to know he knew of any of her dalliances, Stefano was nothing if not thorough when he wanted full details. It was only the fact that he seemed to attach any importance to this Isabella person..for Stefano to be able to eliminate the offspring of a Kirakis would have been a triumph for him, if just to show Victor who was the real power within the realm of Salem. "What are you really up to Papa? Did Marlena ask you to do something to get John away from me? That is it, isn't it? She knows only this other woman that John loved even better than her is going to make him totally happy? Good one Papa, I have to hand it to you, but does she even know that is probably why you even cared to keep her alive all these years? " Kristen sat back, knowing her fathers plan was in motion, and there would be nothing she could do to stop it without putting her own life in peril. Was John worth that much? The honest answer was no, not to her.

"I am glad you are choosing to be sensible girl, you always were the sensible one! So, now do you want to hear what I have in mind for you? I think you will like it!"

The orange juice was freshly squeezed, and he sipped it, savoring the taste of life once more. Her silence told him that she was already signing on to his life plan for her, and it was going to work out well. EJ had been a good standby until he had groomed the one o fhis children who had both the capacity for ruthlessness, as well as an understanding that the family was the key. Once she knew that messing with any of the bloodline legacy was an infamia, she would be the perfect one to keep tabs on the empire. EJ would be glad to relinquish his duties, his own business were flourishing, and had the added benefit of being legally run.

"Papa, I think maybe we should meet and talk about this,"Kristen leaned back in the chair, crossing her long legs as the vision of the power she would wield crossed her mind. There was also the added benefit that someday Stefano would die, and she would have Marlena in her power as well. She smiled as she thought of Marlena wearing one of the little harem outfits she had been forced to wear as a sex slave in the sheiks concubine tents. Of course, Marlena was a bit long in the tooth, but the sheik had kept such women as her for the favors of lesser visitors such as the toothless merchants who came riding in to service the autos residing in the gigantic tents serving as garages.

The meeting between them set, Kristen hung up the phone, then lay down to take a long nap. She was exhausted from the exertions Brandon had put her through, and had a big day tomorrow. A thought of phoning John came and went in her consciousness before she drifted off to sleep, then it seemed to be a moot point. Soon he would not matter to her at all, if he ever really did.

A few quick brush strokes along with a light application of lipstick and Marlena was ready to go up and be with the love of her life one more day. He had been her life long enemy, true, but until he had given her this life, she had never known what utter freedom was like, and she reveled in it. That old expectation everyone had of her being so good was finally unburdened from her shoulders and every selfish and self centered thought she had ever entertained was allowed her! No one expected her not to be rude, so she was, no one cared if she ordered them around, the servants expected it, and would have been surprised if she had been otherwise. Stefano loved her like this, and encouraged any mean thing she could come up with. It surprised him how very petty and greedy she really was, but he adored her for it! He and EJ both shared a fondness for the bad women, and he delighted in knowing that Sami was a fruit not far fallen from the tree!

**Chapter XXVIII**

Raphael had watched from his vantage point as the Mercedes Limo had pulled into the DiMera-Wells estate drive. He knew the car was carrying Victor Kirakis into the drive, and it was stopped only a moment at the security gate. Something huge was going down, an he had been unable to get through anymore on Kristens cell. She had turned it off, and he knew she never answered the land line, so he did not bother. He glanced at the time, and realized he would get no where here, it would take other resources to figure out what Samantha and EJ Wells had set up here, besides he was hungry. Starting the engine, he pulled out of his wooded cover onto the road.

At that moment, Brady was about to follow EJ down the stairs, holding tight to the hand of his wife to aid her descent. Her pregnancy was almost seven months along, and she appreciated his steady arm to lean upon. EJ smiled at her in understanding, he remembered all too well how Samantha had needed help on these same steps not too many years ago. The noise from the childrens room caught her attention and she turned towards it.

"Yes, we have four now, actually two sets of fraternal twins, and we have a couple of minutes before Samantha has everything set up, would you like to meet them? I think you have met our little clairvoyant, that is Kacie, but Justin, Jessica and Ace are the other part of our little quartet! Please, they would love to meet their uncle and aunt..come in please", EJ was opening the door to the main playroom and ushering them inside. Chloe looked about in delight at the well appointed and decorated for childhood room, but Brady was impatient to find out what in hell was going on!

The boy who was a spitting image of EJ was sitting at a desk typing furiously on a computer, flicking back and forth with screen images as he filled in information on his My Space Page. When he heard the door, he stopped, and stood politely as the grownups entered the room. Seeing that she was not going to look up from the airplane model she was working on, Justin gave his twin sister a nudge to acknowledge that their father had come into the room with the two guests that had taken over the upstairs guest room. His mother had warned them all to be quiet for an hour so these people could get a bit of rest.

When Jessica stood and came over to greet the ones she now knew were an aunt and uncle of hers, a smile lit up her face, and Brady was charmed by her. In a way, he thought she reminded him of Belle and no matter what he had felt about Marlena, the love he felt for his sister was strong.

Ace, as always would be the last one to come over, he stayed back, eyeing the newcomers, seeing how they were to fit into his world. It was at that moment that Chloe turned her smile on him, and he was smitten. Never had he seen such a beautiful face, not even his mother. Then Kacie sealed the deal with him when she came running in with a CD that had Chloes face on it!

"Hi Aunt Chloe, Uncle Brady! Look what I found in Daddy's music collection, and listen to it! Aunt Chloe you sing like an angel!" Popping it into her little pink Barbie CD player, she punched up the song she had been listening to all afternoon!

As the lilting tones of the clear and clean soprano voice of Chloe filled the room, Ace looked at this new Aunt in wonderment! She looked like that, and had a voice that matched!

Then to all their delight, Chloe began to sing the song along with the CD. It was from Phantom of the Opera, Christines duet of "All I Ask of You", and once she started, it became even more enthralling when Brady joined in on the part of Raoul!

Kacie sat on the floor, enchanted, with a dreamy look on her little face, waiting for the climatic finish she had been replaying for hours. When it came, she sighed and clapped along with her brothers and sisters at the wonderful experience her new aunt and uncle had given her.

"I hope you stay here in Salem forever with us! You can sing to us all the time then, and the angel lady will be here too! Salem will be so wonderful with all of you here with us!", and in her mind, this was what would make Salem almost perfect.

Chloe was so charmed by all of EJ and Samantha's children, and even Brady was amazed that Samantha of all people had produced such an amazing brood. EJ watched proudly, he also knew he had an amazing family, but to him, Samantha was the reason, not the obstacle!

"Ok kids, please let us get downstairs, your mother is bound to be toe tapping mad by now, we will come up to say good night once this meeting is over!" he gave each one of the girls light kiss to the top of their head, and a pat on the back for the boys who had decided kisses were not quite manly and only tolerated them now from their mother.

The throng of people who looked at them as they came down the stairs included one woman whose eyes riveted onto those of Brady. Her very presence there was the first he noticed, which was strange considering not only were his uncle and grandfather there, but his own father as well. Why would a rather ordinary looking woman with curly brown hair, tinged at the ears with a hint of grey, a rounded, but still slim figure, and a set of eyes hidden behind red rimmed glasses attract his attention so suddenly. Then her eyes caught onto his, and he felt the connection, it was immediate and strong, compelling him to move over to her as though in a trance.

He had no memories of her as a child, the memory of her was from the fantasies he had of the spiritual visits she had made to him as he struggled with the realities of Chloes battle with her demons from the accident. Only these were memories and visions that were undeniable, and he had never forgotten them. No picture of her when he was a baby held the power of one of those times she had come to him when life had seemed its darkest. Her love for him had been strong enough to cross a divide that separated man from the world of the spirit. She had given him the will to pursue the dream of happiness that Chloe was, and now he could again feel her presence. But how?

"This cant be, I mean are you my mothers twin? Who are you? What is happening?"

Rose felt something too, but she had no idea why or what or how..all she could do was look at this young man in wonderment as she answered him.

"I am so sorry, but I do not know what is happening either, I feel as though I should be frightened, but I am not, I know you don't I?"

**Chapter XXIX**

Sami watched as her brother and the woman she would have been happy to know as her mother for all of her life looked each other over. Of all the things Sami had done in her life, atonement for how she had been responsible for the anguish of Chloe had wrankled her soul for years. Her books had danced around the story, and she had never been able to completely exonerate herself, no matter how she had spun it. The time she had spent under the influence of Tony doing the evil of Stan was something she put in a small corner of her mind with the other disappointments and sad occurrences of her life. To bring them out and allow herself to think about them would have made her physically ill, so the next best thing was to move on, doing what she had to do, and not apologizing for the past anymore. EJ understood that about her, he had the same mindset.

This, though, was good. Brady would soon know that this was his mother, and she would soon know that he was her son. Breaking through the doubts would take a bit of doing, but as she pulled out the stacks of albums and the dvd's that had been made up from the old reels of video camera shots were going to make that easier.

"Victor, can you believe what I told you now? You see it as well don't you?" Sami quietly whispered in her old nemesis ear, and then she looked to her Uncle Bo.

"It has to be her, there is no other explanation, and Stefano is behind it, ask John what he did?"her voice in Bo's ear stopped his wide eye stare at what was still happening between Rose and Brady.

Only John had remained in the shadows now, watching his son with this woman who seemed to connect with everyone in the room on some level. He felt it too, but was too shaken and afraid to come out from the Oriental screen he had taken refuge behind. Then Rose had felt him, and her eyes sought him out. It took her only six steps to find him, as if he were calling to her, she could not stop the motion of her legs as she stopped, then moved the small screen back to reveal the tall, dark haired man, whose eyebrow once again lifted in scrutiny. Something about that was so familiar to her..and when she could not take it anymore she asked him, "Is your name John? I mean I know it is John, I talked to you one day at the Pub right?"

John stared at her, remembering possibly the last day he had been with her, if indeed this was Isabella. Stefano had called him wanting to know if he was willing to trust him just this once. This was before Kristen, before Marlena, before he knew just what evil Stefano could do, but at the time he wanted to believe that Isabella could be returned to him, to Brady, so he had agreed.

"Yes, I am John Black, and you are Isab.." Sami grabbed his arm, giving him the signal to silence.

"Not yet, please, I don't think she is ready yet!" Sami was bringing Victor forward, and behind him was Eric and Bo. With these six people present, Sami was ready now to have Rose learn who they all thought she was.

By now Rose had taken in the dynamic of everything happening within this room, and her heart began to pound. This was not just a meeting to discuss a catering menu, and all the eyes in the room were now focused on her. EJ saw her obvious stress and poured her a glass of water, which she gulped nervously when he handed it over.

"Take it easy, Rose, we are all your friends here, I hope you know that" his voice was velvety as he soothed her, and gratefully she looked to him. For some inexplicable reason, she knew he meant his words to be helpful, and they were, but she still felt shaky.

"Rose, please, come sit here, we have some things to show you, don't be frightened, I think you are going to realize you came to Salem for a reason, it was not just a stop on a bus ride". Sami took her hand and led her to the sofa. On the coffee table, a stack of old photo albums lay waiting. Rose saw them, and her hand seemed drawn to run itself over the cover of the first one. It was a homemade blue one, the material covering it was done in a quilting pattern, and was so familiar to her. She could almost picture herself making it!

Sami sat with her, and the memory of the day they had put this particular book together flooded over her.

"Oh Izzy! It is beautiful, Daddy is gonna love it!" Sami was seven years old, and was stitching the white lace around the front frame of the book. This was the last step before all the pictures they had gathered were to be put in. Isabella had been to all the baseball games that Sami and Eric had played in that summer, and when he could get away from the station, Roman, as John had been known then also came down to cheer them on. The album was full of pictures of the twins in poses with both John and Isabella, and Sami remembered how happy she and Eric had been then. They knew when their dad and Isabella got married, they were going to be the happiest family in the world. Isabella was so young then, and the pictures showed a woman smiling up at a man she adored, and who returned the emotion! Her long dark hair fell in waves over her shoulders, and there was never a picture not showing her touching one of the others in affection. She had been a woman who had love in abundance, and had no reservations on sharing it!

Eric leaned into them then, and he pointed to a picture of him and Isabella. "This is where you showed me how to hold the bat properly, until then I could never hit a baseball as well as Sami! I never forgot that!"

Rose looked at him softly, she was not sure of what was happening, but this young man was so soft spoken and gentle, it was not in her to tell him he was mistaken. She did, though keep turning the pages of the album, and touched each picture with reverence. At last, she was at the last one, and still confounded she looked up. Sami then signaled for John.

The album Sami opened up then brought a gasp to Rose's lips. It was a wedding album, and John smiled as she pointed to the picture that was taken just before she had collapsed. "Yes, Izzy was a mom to be, and it was going to happen within the next half an hour! I carried you back to the car, and we were on our way to the hospital! Izzy! Look at those pictures, it is you, it was me! Our wedding day..please, remember, you must remember!" John was as confused as she was, but now something within him had sparked to life. Love is something that cannot die, he knew that now. It was there, and it could be given away to another person, but the love you kept within you for one that shared you life stayed. Izzy was as close to his heart now as she had ever been, and he prayed for her to remember that love.

She wanted to remember, but it was hard, and trying and wishing was not making it happen like she sensed all of them wanted it to.

Chloe urged her husband forward.

"Mother, you are my mother..I..I never had the chance to know you, and we probably don't even have a photo album.." Brady was now kneeling at the floor in front of her, but Sami pushed over a smaller book, it was labeled "Brady Black..The First Year" and when she saw it, Rose grabbed it like it was a long lost precious possession. The first page was the usual baby from the hospital photo, squinched up face, eyes slanted and swollen, but underneath the very ugly picture, Isabella had printed the words.."Our Son, Brady Black" How can I thank you God for this miracle?"

Now she was transported back over thirty years of time, only now she saw herself as the young bride and mother, seeing to the needs of an infant son. Her life was returning in bits and pieces, only now she felt it had been some kind of punishment for this to happen..what had made her forget something so wonderful?

"I can't..I can't" She pleaded, "Please don't tell me anymore!" Turning away from all of them she had run out the door, back to the shelter of the car, not wanting to face any of them while she felt these emotions raging within her. Part of her wanted to cling to what she felt, part of her wanted to get back on that bus and keep going! 

**Chapter XXX**

"Hey, don't blame yourself Samantha, I think you did make contact with her, but maybe this big intervention was not quite the way to go about it.."EJ was undressing for bed, as it had been quite an evening. His wife was sitting on the edge of the bed looking as desolate as he could ever remember her.

"EJ, how can you make it sound even that good? I mean I ended up with John yelling at me, Brady yelling at me, Bo was yelling, Victor, in fact the only one who was not yelling at me was Chloe!"

"She does strike me as the most sensible of that lot!" unable to bear seeing how unhappy Samantha felt, EJ came to sit beside her on the bed as he removed his shirt. His hand found her face to turn her to him, and he saw the tear that was ready to drop from her eye. The handkerchief he brought out of his pocket to dab at her eyes was one that had dried many a tear of his girls in this household, and he was expert at it. Gently, he patted it, and then followed his hands with his lips. He hated seeing her like this, once again the one who was being blamed for things that happened within her family dynamic. Her dream had been only to help Brady find his mother, in the hopes that he would find it in his heart to forgive her for things she had not been in her right mind when she did. Samantha was no angel still, but the woman she had been was so different from the woman she was now.

"I wanted Brady to be able to forgive me, I wanted to give him back Isabella, but she didn't remember EJ, what happened to her?"

"Samantha, you know what Stefano has in his power to do with the Phoenix, and honestly, most of the time he is pretty benevolent with his actions on it. When John gave her up, he should have checked back with the old man. Perhaps it would not have been so long then. Isabella could have come back a long time ago".

"God EJ, think of all that happened because of that. Maybe my mother and father would have stayed together, John would have been happy with Isabella. Brady would have had his mother.."The thought of what might have been echoed in her mind. Foremost was the fact that maybe Stefano would never have taken her mother away from her this last time.

"Samantha girl, listen to what you are saying! Would you have your sister Belle if things had been different? Everything in life has trade offs, and would you give up one single thing that is in your life now to change anything? Would you rather that the kids and I were not with you?"

"Of course not! EJ, you are my world, my rock, I cannot imagine my life without you, or the kids, it is just that.."

He shushed her once again, not wanting to see her beat herself up over old sins that were not worth the time to remember. Long ago he had ceased living his life by other peoples rules or expectations, and he had tried to teach her the same lessons. Samantha had another agenda with wanting Rose to recall her life as Isabella, she truly thought if Marlena feared John going to Isabella once more, she would come home. Sami was not as concerned for herself, but she knew Belle missed her terribly. Her marriage to Shawn was not going well, he had never shown the ambition that Belle sought in a husband, and the life of living paycheck to paycheck had never been one that Belle had gotten used to.

"Marlena may want to come back with us, but she may not. Whatever her choice is, you have to accept it. Will you be able to do that?" EJ wanted to hear her agree before he made the travel arrangement.

"I will try. That is all I can do."

"That's my girl..God I love you, have I said that today, or how beautiful you looked tonight? Come here, please, I need you so much, and I promise I am going to help you and Rose as much as I know how. She can have professional help with this, and I think she will remember.." EJ could hold out no longer and his arms went around her to draw her against him. The warmth and softness of her skin was like a drug to him, he wanted more and more, but waited for her to catch up to him.

Luckily, she was a woman with strong needs, and soon they were falling down to the bed, pulling at the rest of the clothing they wore until they were naked within each others arms. Even though by now, they knew every inch of the territory of the other they would claim, the lovemaking held a freshness that could never die as long as the love existed within. His kisses trailed downward on her stomach to the thigh she stiffend in anticipation of his next touch, her hands stroking through the thickness of his hair as he kissed her into oblivion. Once she was back with full control of her senses she had given him her smile of witch like enticement, beckoning him with her finger to lie down next to her. He grinned, knowing he was in for a treat now.

She began the caresses using her hair at is feet and working upward, reveling in his arching towards her in a frenzied lack of control. That is the test she always put him to, knowing he hated being out of control, but until he showed her he had relinquished it, she would not go further. When he moaned, she would continue, and not before. Finally her hair would be caressing his chest, and she would be sitting astride him, taking him into her, using her muscles to control each inch she would accept. It killed him, but thrilled him when she would do this, and finally he would not be stopped. His hands reached to grab her bottom, and he settled her, making her take him fully. That was when she would lose herself within him and they rode the crest of the passionate wave until she would collapse onto his chest, sobbing with the release he had given her.

Holding her in his arms afterwards, he kissed her neck and shoulders as she snuggled into the spoon of his body.

"We are so lucky EJ, what would have happened to either of us without the other?"She sighed and pulled his arm about her tighter as she returned the kisses on his arms and on the long strong length of his neck as well.

"I don't even want to think about it sweetheart, I mean you would probably be married to some lame brained mama's boy and I would probably have met up with some actress who would have taken me off to Europe as her boy toy.."he was laughing, but she came up spitting fire.

"EJ, I never would have married Lucas! Not in a million years! He was dead to me from the day he married my sister..and as for some actress..how do you know I would not have met and married some dashing prince from Europe? I mean it has happened you know!"

"Well, my darling, all I can say is he would have been the luckiest prince that ever walked the face of the earth!"

"Good answer!" Sami had smiled then settled down to sleep

**Chapter XXXI**

Smoke had been curling under the door for several minutes before the smoke detector went off in the penthouse, but she had inhaled too much by then, and the sounds did not arouse Kristen, only made her head turn in a slight recognition that she may be in trouble. When she tried to breathe, the fumes from the flames that had begun to lick at the sofa cushions assailed her lungs with the caustic fumes of the chemicals used for the foam. It created a form of cyanide gas, and she was trying to crawl to the door when the last of her will faded and she collapsed on the floor, supine, her head resting on her arm. The last bit of consciousness she had left told her she was dying.

He liked this particular diner, it was open late, had good pie and coffee, and looking at his bill, the prices were right. Raphael called the waitress over to refill his coffee and sat back to relax and drink it. Until Kristen found out from the old man what was going on there was no reason to rush he felt. Whatever the Wells family had started out to do did not seem to have worked out so well. All the cars in the drive had left almost at the same time, turning gravel in their haste to be out of there. He could see that the last car was the Kirakis Limo, and that was the one he had decided to follow. It had let John out at his car at the Pub, then turned back to the hill area to the Kiriakis Mansion. He watched as John had gone into the darkened Pub. From there, Raphael had walked on over to the diner on the pier.

Bo had listened to Rose, sob quietly, hearing her repeat a mantra to herself which sounded like, "happy and joyful, happy and joyful" until she was under a bit more control. "Rose, none of us meant to upset you, but if you are Isabella, we are all so happy to have you back with us, I mean if you are..don't you know how much we all loved her? Or you if it is you?"he handed her the cup of tea he had made her once they were inside the pub.

Her eyes stayed downcast, she was not ready to accept his words of comfort yet, since the question she was asking herself was one that would make all the difference in how she processed this new life others were trying to force on her.

"Bo, if any of this is true..why did I leave all of this? I had a husband, a son, a father, and you..how could I have just up and left all of this? What could have happened to make me do something so terrible?"

"Oh Lord, we failed in making you understand! I should have made you come back inside Rose..the fact is you died..at least you died clinically! Stefano DiMera asked John Black if it was possible to use your body for medical testing, sort of putting you in a suspended state in case his researchers could find a cure for you." Bo knew it would not sound plausible, but again, this was Salem, and he had his own miracle to support the facts not yet in evidence.

"Oh, of course I died. Bo, do you mean I made people think I died? Was I running away from something? This is a plot I often see in movies. But then why did I come back?" She was almost laughing as she said this, but the pain in her voice did not sound as though she found anything funny. The fact is she was frightened. Something about this was so wrong..and it felt even evil. Once again she reached into her purse for the healing touch of the well worn prayerbook.

"No, it is not wrong, and even if none of this is true, you being here, with Hope and me at the Pub, Rose, all I can say is that is right. I wish I could make you understand what it is like when someone you love can come back..Zach..when we got him back alive we did not for a moment hate Stefano for what he did with Zach. I admit we had a lot of other things to hate him for, but even though he sort of used Zach in this research, he made sure that we got him back..just like he is making sure that you came back..that is if you are Isabella..and I gotta tell you, everything about you makes me believe you are!"

"Bo, coming back like this, all it does is hurt me..Zach is a child, but for me this is too late!"

"It is never too late Izzy!" John came in, walking resolutely to the booth to sit down next to Bo, looking across at his beloved Isabella, being more sure of that than anything he had ever known.

Her lips quavered a bit, and she looked both of them in the eye. "If this is true, I have a son who grew up without knowing anything about me, I have a husband who moved on with another woman, and had another child with her..I mean that beautiful blonde, the one named Belle, she is yours right? I assume you married Marlena Evans, so what place would I have in anyones life here now if I am this Isabella?"

John's face flashed in anger. "Brady knows as much about you as I do. I never let him forget who his mother was, or how much she loved him. He has always adored you, and if you give him a chance he can show you how much he cares. You have always been his mother, no one else took your place!"

Bo broke in taking her hand in his. "And you have always been the sister I looked up to the most, I mean I do have Kim and Kayla, but the bond we have is special since we shared a father, and believe me, not a father we always thought was the greatest role model!"

"How about you then, Mr. Black? If you moved on, why do you think I should stay around, I mean won't this complicate things a great deal with your new wife? Do you think she will want me to give you a divorce so you can remarry her and have things legal..that is if I am even this Isabella you think that I am." Doubt was still with her, but her resolve was starting to weaken, something about this mans eyes and way of looking at her was tearing away at the fabric she was wrapping herself up in. The safety of not knowing who she was would soon give way to the fear of facing it head on.

"I think that is something we will face together Izzy, and I am going to keep on calling you Izzy until you answer to it. I know who you are, and I want you to know and accept it as well. As far as Marlena goes, well, things have changed between us, and boy is that an understatement! Right now, though, I want to give Brady a call and have him come down to talk. He and Chloe went home with Victor. I just want you to know, I did not approve of what Sami did tonight, she may have meant well, but it was just wrong!

John took out his cell to call Brady, once more looking across the table at a woman he knew was always in his heart, "Promise me, you will stay and listen to what Brady has to say..please Izzy?"

The corners of her mouth turned upward a bit, and she found herself liking the name he was calling her.

"Yes, I will stay, and I would very much like to speak with him".

**Chapter XXXII**

His report of factual findings was almost complete, and Brandon stood to stretch and yawn. Except for his little tryst with Kristen, he would have been finished, and the report in his briefcase hours ago. He glanced at his wrist to check the time, frowning as he saw the watch, a gift from his wife Adrianna was not where it should have been.

"Damn!, "He now pictured just where it was laying, on the night stand next to the bed that he had spent the afternoon and part of an evening in with Kristen. He did not want to call her, just in case John was back. Since the penthouse was within walking distance he decided to check if Johns car was in the garage, and if not, then he would go on up and fetch it. This would be the last time he would have contact with Kristen, as tomorrow he would present the report on her falsified credentials to the board, and like as not, she would be in jail by the next day. His conscience was clear, even though he had enjoyed the romp, it meant nothing, and if this was what it took to help Samantha he would do it gladly, in fact, he thought to himself, he was rather glad as it happened. Kristen was nothing if not all woman.

When he got off the elevator, the smoke was rolling around the lobby, and he saw it was coming out of the penthouse. He could feel that there was some warmth behind the door which was not a good sign, and his fists began to pound upon the door! "Kristen! Kristen! Are you in there?" he dialed up 911 on his phone to dispatch the fire department, and was then relieved to see that security detail from the lobby had seen the signals of the fire finally!

"We need to break in..now damnit, she may be trapped in there!"Brandon was yelling at the hapless security men who seemed unsure of just what do to in a case like this, the penthouse was supposed to be fireproof!

It seemed as if the two men had taken root, and in exasperation, Brandon had taken off his coat, then began using his shoulder as a battering ram! He ran against the oaken heaviness of the door three times before he gave up from the utter futility of it.

"I got a key here, wanna maybe use it?" as the guard pulled it off his belt loop, Brandon grabbed it from him, not wanting to look the idiot in the eye.

"Make sure the paramedics are ready, she may need help, get some oxygen ready..! " Brandon was shouting commands as he turned the key in the lock which was now getting quite hot! The door opened, and the blackness of the smoke then filled the outer lobby, making the guards choke, and put on their own masks. Brandon had taken his shirt off and wrapped it around his face as he made his way into the blinding darkness of the apartment. He probably would have missed her, if he had not stumbled on her outstretched arm. Feeling his way, he knelt, and began to drag her towards the door, hoping her dead weight did not mean she was beyond help. When he made it out, he saw the guards had left him in their fear, and now the only way out would be the stairs as the elevator had automatically shut down as the fire sensors in the building began to follow the written protocol in this instance.

He knew he had to get away from the smoke, before he gave in to it, so he picked her up and carried her to the doorway leading to the stairwell. It was fairly well lit, and when he got beyond the door, there was blessedly breathable air available. He bent to assess her condition then, but seeing she was not breathing, he bent her head back to clear her throat and began to give her artificial respiration, as well as CPR. He went on for five minutes, before he felt the fireman pull him away and put the oxygen mask on her, while they took over the rescue mission. Her face was still blue as they put her on the guerney for the trip down the twenty floors. Another paramedic then assisted him, he had not yet realized how oxygen deprived he was as well.

Raphael was just turning the corner when he saw the trucks from the fire department, the paramedics, and two of Salem P.D's finest. He looked up to the sky and saw it was the penthouse on fire, and by now flames were shooting out the window. His heart began to beat with a pounding rhythm, his only reason for living was trapped up in that inferno! The woman he lived to protect and love, no matter what she did, he would always be hers to do with as she wished. Running, he pushed past the men trying to stop him from getting to her, until he saw the guerney with her lifeless body strapped on, and his eyes fixed on the absolute stillness of her chest. She was not breathing, and it looked as though she had already spent too long without life giving oxygen in her lungs.

"Let me see her, I am her body guard! " He yelled at the men around her, still pushing and hitting at them to get to her side.

"Body guard?" Brandon asked before he could think to cover up his interest.

"Yes, I am, and just who would you be?"

"Brandon Walker, I am an associate of Doctor LaDiermas, I never heard her mention a bodyguard before, but if that is your job, why do you supposes she ends up trapped in a burning building?" the challenge was issued by Brandon, and duly noted by  
Raphael.

The lie came easily to one as practiced as Raphael, but Brandon was long in the practice of spotting lies. He had helped many clients who wanted to hide things, both from themselves and the police.

"I was here just a short time ago, but Kris..Dr. LaDierma sent me on an errand." Though he had attempted to cover up, the slip of the tongue was caught by Brandon, and he leaned over to whisper in the policeman's ear.

Raphael pushed again, and forced his way into the van taking her away. He was who she would need to see when she woke up, but as he looked at her stillness, it would be a question of if she woke up. He pulled out his phone, and spoke the voice recognition number, waiting for the answer from a yacht that was halfway around the world. When he got the person on the line, he was only annoyed at the fact the person seemed to be half asleep.

"Damnit! Bart! This is Raphael, wake up you fool! Kristen is in trouble!" Raphael had long wondered why the DiMera organization kept this fool on, but Stefano was fond of him, and tolerated much from him that would have gotten another fired the permanent way.

"Omigosh! Omigosh! Ok Raphie..just hold on, I need to get the boss up for this one..but don't worry, a crew will be there in less than an hour, I swear on Roman Brady's Phoenix machine!"

**Chapter XXXIII**

The buzzing of the phones ringer on the private line next to EJ and Samanthas bed went off for forty five seconds before either of them could rouse themselves out of the love making soused stupor they had fallen into. EJ disentangled himself from her arms and legs which were wound around him to reach for the phone in anger at whoever had the nerve to call at...he peered at the numbers indicating the time on the phone..3:45 a.m..

"Who the hell are you, and this better be important!"

"Well of course it is important, and I had to get out of my comfortable rejuvenation and healing session so none of that tone with me young man!"

EJ sat at the edge of the bed to take the call from Stefano, looking back to check and saw that Samantha had curled up on the other side, clutching his pillow to her stomach in a possessive motion he knew would be a prelude to a fight when he wished to reclaim it.

"What is it, do you know what time it is here?" he was pulling on a robe, and stepping out of the bedroom so he would not wake up his sleeping wife. Looking back, he was wistful at the sight of the warm bed, and her even warmer body.

"Get your mind in the present..I have need of your assistance with Kristen!"

"Oh the Doctor Strangelove of University Hospital? She is lucky I have not ordered Harris to push her off a building..you and I know she ordered that poor woman's death. Why have you allowed her to interfere this way in Salem, Marlena is not worth all of this!" EJ was whispering harshly, but his voice was rising with his anger and his exhaustion.

"You listen to me! No matter the degree of my bloodline within you, she is also your kin! You owe her something!" Stefano did not let the fact that she was not of his bloodline detract him from his harangue of his nephew, this was family business!

Giving up, EJ opened up the hall desk to get a piece of paper and a pen. "What do you need from me?"

"I need you to work with Lexie on a very short project" Stefano winced as he knew what was coming.

"The woman who almost killed my daughter with her ineptitude in that hospital? And while I am at it, should I take a gift basket of flowers and cake by Victors house? You know I still have scores to settle with him and Philip, and this is taking up my time, I now have I have my wife wanting to present him with his long lost daughter..could you have picked a worse time to drop Isabella back into the mix?" EJ stubbed his bare toe on the table leg, and cursed in anger..this was too damn much!

"EJ, EJ, calm yourself, you don't want to wake the family, how are they all doing? I bet those kids are growing like weeds, and I cannot wait to meet you all in La Palma during the holidays! I am so looking forward to that visit, and believe me, so is Marlena! I told her you would be bringing Belle and little Claire along..so once you do me this small teensy favor, I will take Kristen out of your hair, Lexie will be dealt with in a permanent way to keep her out of mischief, and we may be able to let your wife know a bit of peace in her life as well..all will work out my boy, but you have to help me out with this."

EJ listened, and as soon as he put the phone down he was contacting Harris and Matthew, and within minutes they were dispatched to the hospital to meet with Raphael in the room where the doctors were attempting to get past him in order to disconnect all the life support Kristen was currently in their opinions wasting. She had arrived as a DOA, and all they wanted was to clear up the room and get her down to the morgue.

Lexie rushed into the room, but when she saw the cold stiff faces of Matthew and Harris she stopped in her tracks. If they were here, then Stefano was giving the orders, and it would be up to her to convince the rest of the staff to go along with whatever program was already written.

"Hi, my goodness you have had a night haven't you both? Look, why don't you just let me take care of her, I am sure I will be able to convince this gentleman that this is best for her, she needs to be put to a peaceful rest.."Lexie was soothing in her manner, while giving the three men a 'please stay out of this, let me handle it look!'. Wisely, they followed her lead.

Brandon began the trek from the elevator, he had been held up in his own emergency room as the doctor on call would not let him off the guerney or out from under the oxygen mask. Finally, his patience at an end, he had ripped it off, and threw on his smokey smelling clothes and went to find out what had become of Doctor LaDierma. He saw the grim face of Raphael standing outside one of the doors, like a gargoyle standing guard. He had not noticed what the man really looked like earlier, but now he could see that his standing as a bodyguard probably had a lot to do with his looks. His face was dark, both in complexion, and in beard stubble with pockmarks and pores that got larger towards his nose and cheeks. Even with that, he was not ugly, but he did have an air of cruelty about him. Brandon did not care, he only wanted to see that the doctor who he now knew was Kristen DiMera was being well cared for.

"Don't go one step further!" the words were spoken in monotone, not meant to be heard by anyone but Brandon, and they served their purpose, as Brandon hesitated, then stopped in his tracks.

"I beg your pardon, I am her associate, and I have every right to check on her condition".

"Her condition is dead, and we are waiting on the funeral director to come for the remains, now go back the way you came, I have this handled exactly the way she would have wanted it!" Raphael was now standing five inches from Brandon's face, imposing his will on the man whose resolve to go into the room was weakening.

"Brandon, honey, I heard..are you feeling alright?" Lexie had stepped out of the room, and she looked at him with concern. She knew it would save his life if she could just get him to move along quietly, and let the body be removed after she had hooked it to the Phoenix!

**Chapter XXXIV**

Brady would not hear of Chloe driving into town to the pub with him. "It is late, you need to rest, and I promise I will not be long. If John can get her to talk to all of us, I know we can convince her to go through some medical tests and prove she is who we say!" He looked like an excited little boy, and Chloe was moved to tears. Both of them had been deprived of really knowing their mothers as they grew up, and she could not help feeling that this was something Brady had always needed. All she could do was hope that Rose or Isabella would not turn from him, or that he would not be disappointed.

The Pub parking lot was deserted, but the small light from inside showed him that John had been able to convince her to stay and listen. By now, the anger he had felt for Sami was fading, she probably had meant well, but when the woman he was convinced was his mother fled from the room, all he could feel was disgust at the way this had been handled. Bo and John also had given her hell, until she had run from the room in tears.

At that point, EJ had told all of them to leave his house, "None of you have ever given her any benefit of the doubt have you? Did it ever occur to any of you here that she also looked at Isabella like a mother? The only mother she really knew as a child! All of you need to learn to show as much compassion for her as she has for all of you! Now, I would appreciate it if you would all just go!"

The only one who had said not a word, watching all of what had gone on with a cold dispassionate eye was Victor. The idea that his daughter had been hidden away for so many years could only be a DiMera plot. While he had loved Isabella when she had been the one caring for him, she was a stranger now, and her being back made him feel uneasy. He remembered his own stint as a prisoner of the Phoenix, the helplessness of being under the control of someone, and no freedom of choice to act on your own. What had they given this Rose person in exchange for her freedom? Stefano did not give up his possessions unless they had a usefulness for him. For now, Victor was only going to be solicitous with his grandson, and the wife that Victor had never thought suitable. With Rose, he would bide his time to uncover what was really going on with her.

Victor had taken Chloe and Brady to his home to stay, and he had given Brady the keys to one of the cars to go and talk with John, Bo, and Rose. As Brady left, he summoned Nico, "follow him, see what you can find out about this woman at this meeting..if she is Isabella, I want to be the first to know".

When Brady entered the pub, Rose saw him, and in a gesture of her normal graciousness, she got him a mug of steaming hot coffee, which he took from her thankfully, the chill of the night having gotten into his bones.

All four of them were then sitting in the booth, but none wanted to be the first to speak. So finally, she decided it would be her.

"I wish I was who you think I am..truly I do. Only, I have no way of remembering these things, honestly I do not."

John was the first to ask the obvious. "Who are you Rose? Do you really know? I gotta tell ya, I have already done the research about a Rose Grayson, and ..my dear..you do not exist..so who are you? Is there some reason you do not believe you could possibly be Isabella Kirakis Black? Listen, Sami is a nut case sometimes, but when she says this is who you are, just because of who her old man is, and who is behind him, there is not a lot of doubt in my mind! You are Izzy! You are the mans mother, you are this mans sister, and you are my wife!" Saying this made John realize he was still married to another woman, and at the same time was involved with yet another woman. A woman who was probably wondering where he was at this moment.

The line did not ring when he called it, so he called the guards desk to see if her car was in, and that was when he got the news about the fire!

The body of Antonia LaDierma had been claimed by her bodyguard, and apparently was already on its way out of the country by the time John reached the hospital. When he saw Lexie she was apologetic, but firm as she told him, "she had everything written out, the cause of death was not in doubt, and her man was wanting to take care of everything quickly" Lexie was doing her best, but John caught the shiftiness in her eyes.

"I am entitled to know what happened and where she is! Don't lie to me, I also know who she really is, what did your father have to do with this?"

Lexie fixed a cold stare on him before she answered, " If you know all of that, then you know better than anyone why she cannot be left here..Brandon Walker has been digging around, and I am sure he knows everything, I don't want him hurt! I don't want you hurt either, so let it go John, just let it go!"

John was not the type to do that though, except that as of now, he still had another mystery to uncover, "Lexie, this is not the end of this, I will be back, but for now, Brady is waiting on news over at the pub. I promise you, I will be back in the morning, and I am going to tear this place upside down until I find out where you and those other DiMera goons have taken her. I deserve to know, we were close..I loved her, and she loved me."

"I really don't think she was capable of ever really loving anyone John, that was bred out of her by our father. Maybe once upon a time, but now all she lived for was revenge and power, and that is what she returned to Salem for. Having you, and getting rid of Marlena, that was her triumph John! I understand you think Father has returned Isabella to you? If he has, then John, I would suggest you just count your blessings!" After giving him that bit of advice, she turned to walk away, leaving him standing there looking after her, his mouth open in an o shape of protest as his left eyebrow arched in protest.

**Chapter XXXV**

The pub was darkened when John got back, and it was just as well. He had learned that his home was devastated, and all he wanted now was to check into the Salem Inn for a few hours sleep. Brady was not answering his cell phone, and he thought better of disturbing Bo. Nothing could be done now, and he was tired. Whatever Stefano had cooking was already underway, the man was not one to leave loose ends so chances were slim that he would be able to interfere. Isabella was what he needed to concentrate on now, and making her remember the life she had once known, as well as the son she had left behind.

A soft knock at the bedroom door woke EJ, and when he called out to answer, the even softer whisper of Kacie came.," Daddy, can I come in please?" before he could give his permission, she had slipped in and was climbing into bed next to him, her solemn brown eyes meeting his.

"What is it? Did you have a bad dream?" he snuggled her up against his arm, trying to keep his voice low so Samantha did not wake up.

"You gotta help the angel lady Daddy, she has a bad lady with her!"

EJ understood with Kacie you had to listen, and not make judgments. The entire family knew that about her, and while it was sometimes spooky, other times life was just so much more fun with this little girls insights. EJ found this to be one of the spooky times, but he hugged her against him to question her further.

"A bad lady with her? Where is this bad lady?"

"Daddy, she is hiding in her, I dreamed it last night, the bad lady will be out soon, if you don't help the angel Rose."

Samantha woke up at that moment, turning over to smile at her daughter. "Hey sweetie, what are you doing out of bed? What time is it?" looking at the clock and seeing it was twenty minutes before the alarm would have gone off, she groaned..then reached for her robe. "Guess I may as well get up and go get some coffee up here for us!" Her lips touched EJ's for just a quick kiss, with a smile of remembrance of the night they had shared, along with a quick peck on her daughters head. Neither Kacie or EJ gave her a clue as to what they had been discussing seconds before.

It was a half hour later that all the family was meeting downstairs for breakfast and the beginning of another busy day. Justin was getting ready for the science fair, Jessica was gathering up all the things she would need for the sleepover she had planned with her best friend, and Ace was getting the dogs all excited by waving their leashes in front of them. Only Kacie seemed not her usual self, twirling her spoon about in her cereal, with no bites making a way to her mouth.

"Sweetie, eat up, we have to get you to school." Samantha looked at her daughter with a bit of concern. Her health was great, but Sami always remembered how she had almost lost Kacie both to the cancer and the near drowning.

Ace was absorbed in his video game, but every once in awhile he looked over at his sister and winked at her. EJ saw this, and knowing his son often had his own little plans working wondered, and decided to voice his thoughts in a question.

"Ace, do you have something on your mind? You look very mysterious!" his large hand reached over to get Ace to turn his face towards him. The look of utter innocence in the blue eyes of his mothers was almost convincing. "You know what, I think I will drive the four of you in to school today, how about that?" But Ace was not about to be caught out that easily, he had plotted this move with Kacie already, and nothing was going to stop their adventure this morning!

"Sure Dad, but can you take us a bit early? Kacie and I have to clean the boards for Mrs. Preston, we promised her we would". Kacie looked at her brother, both in amazement and a bit of jealousy at the way he could so quickly think up a story to cover what they really had in mind. This was serious stuff they were contemplating, but Ace was still the one most like his mother in so many ways! The thought of sneaking away from the school yard on a secret mission reminded him of the good old days when they had worked together as a team to escape from the Stefano man. Making their way over to the Pub to see the angel lady would be a piece of cake after all they had gone through on the island!

Jessica had not quite been listening to the whole exchange, but when what was planned on the early arrival at school by her younger brother and sister cleared her conscience, she objected vehemently!

"Dad, I cant go in early, my stuff is not ready, and Justin is still lugging all his science project stuff down!"

To stop the argument that was about to erupt, Sami interjected," EJ, she is right, besides, all the stuff for Justin is going to take so much space..you take Ace and Kacie, I will drive the other two in ok?" her smile at him was cajoling, and he knew there was no use arguing, but he also felt she was planning something as well, anything to keep from riding in with him it seemed.

Behind the backs of their parents, Ace and Kacie gave each other the pumped arm ,"Yes!" signal, their plan was going to work out so well, and soon angel lady would have no worries at all.

**Chapter XXXVI**

Jessica arrived at her locker with her eyes looking out to find her younger sister. She was carrying the envelope that Kacie had forgotten with the slip and money for the field trip, and she had been reminded by her mom to see that Kacie got it in hand. Odd, she knew her sister always came this way to stop and talk a moment before hurrying off to her first grade class, but she was no where to be found. For that matter, neither was Ace, and he was always hanging around, barely making it to his class before the bell. Ace always was finding something to occupy his mind besides the mundane life of a first grader. He had other worlds he occupied!

When her brother came by she stopped him, knowing he would think it strange as well that neither Ace nor Kacie was around. "Check her class, I will go see if he is in his,"Justin kept his cool, but he too was a bit concerned.

After they both met back at the locker area Justin looked at his sister and both knew something was up. "Did Kacie say anything to you?"

"Just that she was worried about the angel lady, you know, Rose at the Pub, the one Mom had all the people over for last night..but since we weren't allowed down, I just thought it was a grown ups party.."

"Jess, you know Kacie, and if she asked Ace for any help you know him too! They are gonna be in so much trouble, I bet they have gone to the pub..and they deliberately had Dad bring them early..I mean cleaning boards? I really shoulda caught that, and so should you! Dry erase boards are not that big a deal to clean!"

"We have fifteen minutes before first bell, can we make it over to the pub and back?"

"I think so, but come on, we hafta hurry!" Justin was out the door, and down the steps with Jessica scrambling to keep up. Then disaster nearly struck..at the curb still idling the van was their mother, her head down as she seemed to be dialing her cell phone.

"Duck behind here quick!" Justin pulled his sister into the hedgerow next to the oleander bush, squatting down and waiting for their mother to finish the call and drive away.

"Bo, I know I upset her, but I think if she will speak with me this morning we can get this all cleared up, you know I did not mean to hurt her..and she has to know it too!"Sami was holding onto the cell phone as a drowning person holds to a life line, and when she heard her uncle sigh, she felt the relief rush through her. She pulled out into the traffic to head for the pub.

"She's gone, come on , we can cut through the park" Justin was pulling on his sisters arm and she needed no further urging to follow him on, promising herself that both her younger siblings were going to pay for this dearly!

The delivery truck parked at the rear of the pub looked innocuous enough, the sliding bay door was wide open, but the two men standing next to the vehicle brought the tiny hairs up on the back of Kacie's neck. Something was so wrong inside that truck, her vision was not clear, but her feeling was so strong even Ace looked at her worried, sensing the quiet she was often overcome with along with her dream-ups as he called them. . When the men closed the truck bay door, dread iced over her heart, until she saw them both alight and head over to the donut shop.

"Come on, maybe it is not locked," Ace saw a chance and was willing to go for it. He wanted to know what was in the van, Kacie though, hung back, she was still afraid. Ace made the decision for them both, running out from behind the stack of wood pallets they had been hiding behind, and loosening the bay door catch to open the door just enough to squeeze inside and help his sister in.. The interior contained a wood box, but nothing else other than a bunch of moving van blankets. Ace looked at his sister in annoyance, "There ain't nothing here, just a box, so let's get outta here!" That would have been the end of it, except for it was then that Justin and Jessica made their appearance, both of them deciding to jump up into the truck n order to really let their wayward siblings have both barrels for this transgression!

"Damnit, Bob, I told you to lock this, it slipped outa the catch, gimme that padlock now!"Kacie heard the man, and not even seeing him knew that he was not a nice person.

With that, before any of the kids could protest, the bay door was slammed down, and the sound of the padlock being secured was heard. Justin was the first to react, throwing down his backpack and running towards it to bang on it an let it be known they were inside, but Kacie grabbed him to stop him, something told her it would be a very bad thing to alert those men that they were inside! As the engine on the truck began to fire up, moving slowly out of the back alley, it was too late anyway!

"You both are gonna be in so much trouble! This is cutting school! You can get suspended for this! Oh..I can get suspended for this too!" Jessica had weighed the consequences of all their actions, but she hugged her sister who she could see was frightened.

Justin sat down on the floor of the truck, and with his finger directed the other three to join him. Ace seemed to be enjoying the whole thing, his eyes were wandering about the truck, and his hands reaching over to try and find a way to open the box. It was a very large one, reaching almost to his waist, and about as long as his bed. He gave up though, as Justin pointed to the floor next to him with a more fierce look that demanded to be obeyed. He fitted himself in between his sisters, figuring it was the safest place to be if Justin really got impatient.

"When this thing stops, and they open it up, I want all of us to give the same story..now we need to think of a story." Justin got out a pencil and paper from his pack, looking over to his little group that was willing to let him be the leader for a time.

"We were all hit over the head, and we woke up here! And we were gonna wait, and when the door opened, ask whoever opens it to call our Dad!" Looking doubtful, Justin took Aces suggestion down on his other notes.

"Um how about we thought we saw a little kitty get in here, and we all wanted to rescue it before it got shut in?" Jessica contributed this one, and Justin wrote it down, conceding it was a scenario that could happen.

"No..we cant let them know we are in here..they will hurt us all!" Kacie was finding her voice now, and when she spoke these words they knew she told the truth. If her words were not enough to convince them, the moaning sounds coming from the wooden box told them she was right.

**Chapter XXXVII**

The private phone from his credenza came out as soon as EJ shut the door to his office. The latest text message sent to him had his mood darker than it had been in ages, as if he had nothing better to do than manage the darker parts of Stefano's machinations. Kristen was now taken care of, but the latest thing Stefano was threatening to unleash was just too much to fathom. It was now time to repay Victor Kirakis, the settling of old debts was long overdue according to Stefano. However, being a man who never wanted to leave things unbalanced, if something was taken, something would be returned.

That was what worried EJ the most, what would be taken, and what would be returned was never quite equal. Victor had much to answer for, his fingers seemed to be all over the bombing of the Pub, and the attempted ascension of Philip as Council Head. Now the council was no longer viable, not even as the lame figurehead Stefano had always wanted it to be, so now he was getting ready to settle old scores.

"Tell him no, I will not agree to that right now! First let us settle Isabella in, we don't need another complication!" the voice of reason that EJ was presenting was falling on deaf ears, and he knew it. Whatever was coming was on its way, and nothing was going to stop it now. Stefano was giving Bart the instructions to pave the way, and the other section of whatever Stefano was building was now under construction.

"And what of Samantha? I promised her and Belle could go to talk to Marlena..they want to bring the children as well, am I going to be able to keep that promise for her at least? I want that settled before you unleash what is coming."

After listening a bit, EJ was calmer. Stefano had arranged for the Mythic Jet to be allowed landing rights at his private airstrip. In three weeks EJ would be able to bring the family for a visit, but what was coming was not going to be stopped under any circumstances. The plan was the plan.

John had rattled the doorknob on the pub's front, wondering why it was not unlocked already for the early morning coffee seekers. The touch on his shoulder was hesistant, and he whirled about to see Sami standing there, a look of worry on her face, as though she was asking for his forgiveness for making Isabella afraid the night before. He took her hand, removing it from his body, but not unkindly. Then he told her about Kristen, and the night he had gone through.

"The DiMera machine cleaned up pretty well again Sami, her body was removed and shipped out as soon as the life support was unhooked..she did not have anyone to speak for her I guess. Your husband probably had a part in it, but it's all good I guess, your friend Brandon Walker apparently had a big meeting with the board scheduled, and from the copy of the program I got, looks like the woman I was involved with may have had a lot of secrets to hide."

He looked her square in the eye, but she did not back off either. She was used to people thinking what they did about her husband, and as far as she was concerned they could go ahead and think it. Sami had long ago accepted EJ for who and what he was, as he had done for her. If the good people of Salem did not want to go along with the program, she just ignored what they had to say on the whole subject.

"John, nothing surprises me about that woman, but don't be dragging my children's father into a mess you created with your own appetites. EJ had nothing to do with her death or her bodies walking off..this is Salem University Hospital we are talking about here. Oh..now don't tell me, Lexie was in charge somehow?"and that is where she knew she had him as he nodded.

"Well forget about it for now, what I want is to see Isabella, or Rose, whatever she wants to be called, I want to apologize, but I still want to ask her some questions..why in the hell isn't this place open by now? Bo is slacking, Grandpa opened at six and it is after eight now!" she had flipped open her cell to check the time and was shocked to see that her daughters cell number was on the screen, and about to ring her.

"Jess, what is it honey? Did something happen at school? Are you sick?"

Jessica was stammering in her fright, but she took a breath and steadied her voice enough to tell her mother all of them were in trouble!

She had almost all of the story out, when the whispering of Justin interrupted, "Come on, Jess, under the blankets, they are coming!" he pulled on her and made her join the others under a huddle of furniture blankets piled in a corner of the cargo area.

When the bay door went up, light flooding in to the van made the four little lumps cringe, but they held onto their silence. The slight moaning from the crate had ceased for a bit, but when the two men got up inside, and moved it a bit, it started again, whoever was inside was in pain, and Kacie now knew who was inside with a certainty. Rose, the angel lady was there, and no one was going to be able to help her now! The bad ones had her, and Kacie could see in her wake dream that this was not good. Her own fear kept her quiet, even as she wished for a way to help her!

The crate was carried out, down the ramp, and only when they were sure they would not be seen did the kids lower the blanket from their eyes. Ace was the one who came out first, wanting to see what was going on, with Justin close behind. Before he could be stopped, Ace had jumped out of the truck and hid behind a large rock that was out in the wooded area. Justin tried to urge him back in, but before he could get his brothers attention, he saw one of the men walking back to the van, carrying a shovel. Pointing to the blankets, he motioned for his sisters to hide once more, and he managed to get there just in time to pull the blue blanket over the three of them. The very blanket that the man decided would be perfect to line the area of the hole he was digging.

**Chapter XXXVIII**

Screaming came across the open phone line, and Sami's heart caught in her throat as she heard her oldest son saying "Leave my sister alone! Run Kacie..run!" the sounds of both her daughters struggling against an unknown assailant chilled her to her spine, while she grabbed John to make him give her his phone..

"Someone has the kids! Stay on this line, I have to get EJ to get it traced!" John took the phone, and he began to hear what she was so upset about.

"Ray! Take hold of this 'un, OWWWW! God Damnit, she bit me! Get her, hold her, I got the boy! Hell! The other one got away..we gotta find her, now!" John was listening to the sounds of an attempted kidnapping he thought, which the Wells kids were doing a damn good job of foiling. It was only when Bo came running up, his phone to his ear as well that more elements of what was happening were becoming clear!

"The recording was Roses voice, my manager, and my sister! They said if we did not deliver ten million dollars within forty eight hours, we would find her dead body floating in the Salem River!" He was on the phone talking with the Salem Police Department, and becoming more exasperated by the minute! Things had always gone smoother for him when his brother Roman or Abe Carver had run this department. Now, he knew he was up against the Wells-DiMera run machine, and while they ran a tighter operation, he would have preferred someone closer to him on the inside.

"EJ! OH God! Someone has the kids! They are not at school, and I dropped Jess and Justin off at 7:45..and Jessica just called me, OH God! EJ, they were screaming for help! I could hear Justin telling someone to leave Jess alone, and she was crying..EJ..get the line for her phone traced now!" Inside his office, EJ was now dismissing his secretary, and going out to the hallway to yell out for Harris..

"Get a tracer on Jessicas line..now damnit, no questions, find where her phone is signaling from..someone has the kids!"The two of them had such a close working relationship, they could almost finish each others thoughts and Harris had turned to get started before EJ had finished the sentence.

The area with the media communications equipment was in the next corridor, and Harris was running there, not minding as he knocked office workers aside with his haste.

"EJ, Bo says that Rose has been kidnapped as well, he got a recorded message on his phone..and she is not here, she has not opened up the Pub!"

John came running up about then to report the donut shop had said two men had parked a delivery truck in the alley, but did not seem to be delivering anything anywhere in the area! When Bo and he went around to the back, the receiving dock at the Pub had one of its doors pried open!

"Stay there Samantha, I am sending Matthew there to be with you! I will be there as soon as Harris has the lock on her signal."

The spade that Bobby had leaned against the truck before he had climbed in was now in the hand of Ace, as he snuck around the side of the van, then settling down under it to wait it out. . When he had seen Kacie jump out and run, he had stepped out for just a moment when he saw it was clear, and waved her to his side. "Shhhhh.." his forefinger gave her the warning, and he made her hide down in the underbrush where he had been, until they saw the lumbering figure of the one called Ray run past them. As he disappeared down into the steeper face of the hill, Ace had again gestured for Kacie to stay hidden as he ran quietly back to the van, grabbing the spade and diving under the truck.

The struggle still continued inside the truck, as soon as Bobby had one kid down, the other one was attacking him, til finally he pulled back his fist to give the girl a smack she would not forget, his fleshy arm was pulled back with his elbow bent, when the crunch of the spade hit him in the back of his head, and Justin stood smiling, and decided to hit him two more times for good measure, while Ace stood by waiting for his turn.

"Nah, Ace, it might kill him!"

"But I found the spade, why can't I have a turn?"Ace was grabbing for it, but even Jessica stopped him.

"Where's Kacie?" Justin knew they had to all were still in danger, and he needed to get them all accounted for.

Ace sulked a moment before pointing out to where Kacie was concealed, only at that moment she had decided to peek, as the man came up behind her. Her shrieks filled the air, and Ace spied the backpack of his brother with the Louisville Slugger that was his pride and joy twisted into the strap. When he stood in front of the man, wielding the bat, the man laughed, it was just so comical seeing this curly blonde headed tyke, swinging a bat that was a long as him almost, until the wood made direct contact with his kneecap. Once he was down, Kacie loose and running over to her sister, Justin had taken over, and as the swinging of the bat intensified, Ray felt his radial bone crack, then his thigh, finally his collarbone. He curled up to identify with his pain, until he blacked out.

Jessica meanwhile had located her phone, and to her relief, her mother was still on the line screaming for her!

"Mom, we are alright! But get someone here quick! We are in the woods on the other side of the dry lake! I can see the Kirakis house from here! Hurry Mom! Please!"

Harris had the signal, and he ran the coordinates back to EJ. The relay to the Salem PD was sending the closet cruiser out to the area, while the two of them sped out of the parking garage as well.

Now what was drawing Kacie's attention was the crate that was poised on top of the hole that had been dug. She ran her hands along its side, leaning her head down upon it, and soothingly saying, "Don't worry angel lady Rose, my Daddy is coming now!

Authors note: finally found the right spot to tie the title in..Spades and Clubs..(in honor of tvc18 great montage..Spades and Clubs..if you have not heard it, please give it a listen and watch.

**Chapter XXXIX**

"Daddy!" Kacie ran over to the Hummer, where EJ and Harris were alighting, and her fathers arms were outstretched to her as she flung herself at him. Jessica followed, her tear tracks now dry on her face, and EJ traced each one with tenderness but a look of absolute fury on his face.

"Hey Dad, we got 'em tied up, I used some rope I found in the truck and those knots you showed me work great!" Justin was understandably proud of his handiwork, and Harris bent down to check them, giving both EJ and the boy a nod of approval.

"I can't get this lid off! Somebody help me now please." Ace was struggling with prying the top of the crate off, using the blade of the shovel as a lever. Harris saw his efforts, and gave him an A for effort, but he could see he did not have the weight advantage needed to make any real headway. He rolled up his sleeves, and took the tool from Ace, and began to force it into the nailed wood, loosening up a bit of the wood, and inserting the blade in further until the nails began to pop loose.

Sliding it off, the woman seemed too much in shock to move, her eyes fixed on the young girl who stood next to the box now.

"Hi Isabella..that is your name, Isabella, just like my aunties name is!" and when Kacie reached her hand to gently brush back a bit of hair from the womans face, she was rewarded with a brief smile and a whispered word phrase.

"Yes, I am Isabella!" There was no way to explain how the memories long hidden had flooded back into her mind, but it seemed to have happened the moment the crate had been taken away, like the light that was let in by that had also activated the light in her mind.

Her eyes fell on the young blonde child. Her son had been a blonde with very blue eyes as well. She knew he had been so young when the disease had begun to wear away her life. The last months she had tried to secure a good caretaker for him, and all she could hope was that she had chosen well. Seeing this boy made her whisper out the name she had chosen all those years ago. "Brady..where is Brady?"

Harris was lifting her from the box, seeing that she would be unable to stand, he kept her in his arms, averting her eyes from the hole in the ground that would have been her tomb. From the looks of it, she was not meant to have survived it, as the dirt would have collapsed the crate, suffocating her with the soil as it filled out the void. EJ looked over the scene and his agreement with the assessment of Harris was showing in his anger and disgust. He remembered a time when his wife and the two older twins had been in just such a situation, but at least she had stood a chance. This poor woman would have suffered a horrible death lasting several minutes.

"Is she hurt?" EJ was letting Harris examine her, as he had been trained as a medic in service. He laid her in the back end of the Hummer, giving her a gentle smile, which she returned.

"Thank you all for saving me"

"You should thank my children, I think they did all the work, but, I am so happy you are alright..Samantha seems to care about you a great deal!" EJ was reaching for his phone to let his wife know that the kids were safe.

"I think she may have a mild concussion..did you remember a knock to your 'ead ma'am?" he was rubbing an area back of her ear, seeing the egg sized lump there, and the wince she gave as he touched on it.

The Salem Police Cruiser got there about then, and behind them came Bo and John in the pickup. John ran to Harris, and nothing prepared him for the sound of Isabella once again calling to him, "John! John! I remember! I remember!" her arms came out to welcome him as he fell into them. It seemed like forever, and it seemed like yesterday, as he picked her up and was transported back to that hotel room in Tuscany years ago. Even the music began to play on the radio in the Hummer, and to the strains of Bette Midler, he carried her in that final dance from so long ago.

**Youve got to give a little, take a little,**

**And let your poor heart break a little.**

**Thats the story of, thats the glory of love.**

**Youve got to laugh a little, cry a little,**

**Until the clouds roll by a little.**

**Thats the story of, thats the glory of love.**

**As long as theres the two of us,**

**Weve got the world and all its charms.**

**And when the world is through with us,**

**Weve got each others arms.**

**Youve got to win a little, lose a little,**

**Yes, and always have the blues a little.**

**Thats the story of, thats the glory of love.**

**Thats the story of, thats the glory of love.**

Her arms entwined about his neck, and he forgot about anyone else. To all the ones there looking on, it was a love story that was beginning anew, but to a young child sitting in the front seat, holding the CD she had removed and put into her Dad's player, punching up the right track, this was what had to be.

**Chapter XL**

She hung onto his suit lapel, her tears of relief soaking against his tie and shirt, but after a moment she stiffened in anger. Once again, her children had been endangered by someone evil enough to have thought up this deed. Who would have been enough in the know to have planned a kidnapping involving Isabella Toscano Kiriakis Black, when the woman herself had not realized who she was. By now when Sami saw that far away look in her husband's eyes, she knew he was thinking on this as well.

"Was it Philip? Making sure his half sister would not usurp his place with the old man?"

A small gesture at the corner of his mouth told Sami she was not far off the mark, it did have the earmarks of the Kiriakis touch. Ascension to heights of power was a hallmark of Victor, and he had passed the trait on in Philip. Only on this night, EJ was not interested in entangling his mind around any schemes. He wanted time with his family, in the safety of their home, all other things could be attended to in time. There had always been a timetable for dealing with the Kirakis family, he had been willing to follow it even in the aftermath of the Pub bombing.

"I have called down to the the kitchen for Tippin to have some tea made up for you, the kids are all asleep, and they are fine, but I am not so sure about you. I need to make some calls, so have a bite to eat, you have had nothing on your stomach today, I don't care to see you getting ill, young lady!" EJ turned and pushed her towards the kitchen, but he was unprepared for how she would turn on him!

"When are you going to learn EJ Wells? Do not dismiss me, do not protect me, do not patronize me! You let me know what the hell is going on! There is a reason behind all of this..my mother being out on a yacht with Stefano, Isabella coming back to John! Someone trying to kill her as soon as we know who she is! Is this the grand plan that Stefano has worked so long and hard on? Well it sucks! Belle wants her mother back, so do I! My father! Why is he dead? What about Abe Carver, and Celeste? All of these people are gone now, and for what? So Stefano and Victor Kirakis can play some kind of chessboard game of one-upmanship? You need to tell me now EJ! I want all of the truth, and that comes before any Nanny Tea!" From leaning into his lapel for support, she had changed over to grabbing him by them to emphasize her point with a shaking motion that was strong enough to rock his head back and forth!

"Do you know how beautiful you are when you are angry?' His hands grabbed hold of her head on either side, and he held her motionless as he looked into the sea deep pools of her eyes, his gaze then going on down to stop on her lips. They were slightly parted, and he could feel the steam of her breath on his face. She knew what was coming, and even in her anger at him, it was like another universe spinning within her. What he wanted to give her was what she wanted to receive, and there would be time for the fight she planned to have out with him later. Releasing her hold on his lapel, she tore open the button on his shirt before pressing her lips to his chest in a circular motion. Her hot pointed tongue bathing his skin with short flickering licks designed to ignite a flame deeper within him.

"Oh, no, not this time, you little witch," and he made her stop the maddening kisses before he could give up the right to take things his way. His hands caught up her wrists, and he forced her into the library, one step at a time. Her throaty little laugh mocked him as much as she dared, but he was beyond caring. Pushing her back, back, back, until her knees bumped up to the edge of the sofa, and she fell with him coming down atop her, pulling at her dress top, then reaching under the hem of the skirt to her panties. He gave a single rip and threw them across the floor as her hands flew to the zipper and band of his trousers, pushing them aside to allow her body to consume him. It was a fight to the finish for both of them, neither asking or giving quarter, and both knew they would be sore and bruised after it, but it was not to be given another thought.

"Don't you dare treat me this way again EJ!" her mouth against his ear snarled, and she drew blood with her teeth.

"You love it when I treat you this way, and you know it!" he pounded into her, pulling her legs up around him and bending down to nip the rose tips of her breasts as he made her take him all the way, with no holding of anything back. This was how they made love when they were angry with each other, and somehow it was among the sweetest times they had once it was over and they accepted it for what it was, not an argument, but a passionate consultation!

As he felt the ocean tide of his bodies need rise up to its highest point he looked into her face, asking the question that needed the answer.

"Yes, please, now, my darling, I want you all now!" that was her answer and he followed her voice with his body, grinding against her until her moans turned to the excited little screams she always gave out in these moments. His collapse against her was only interrupted by the the gentle clearing of his throat as Tippin knocked softly at the door.

"Sir, Madam, I have the tea and some sandwiches made up. Umm Shall I just leave them here on the table?" Tippin paid no mind to his gentleman and his lady rearranging their clothing, and he set the tea down along with the milk and sugar. He placed the napkins and the cookies on the plate, arranging them as for a garden tea, but he still could not keep the amused smile off his face. Almost ten years with his family, and they still could find ways to make his job interesting!

Authors note: lol, my hubb an I call our arguments not arguments ever, they are "passioniate consultation"

**  
****Chapter XLI**

He had slept on the sofa in the suite, giving over the bedroom to Isabella. It had been difficult, when all he wanted to do was lie down next to her, and lose himself looking at her and remembering all they had shared. His life since her was now compartmentalized, packed away, and seemingly unimportant. Except for Belle..that was something he knew was going to be hard to rationalize with how he felt now. He loved her, though she seemed to be something that should not have happened, if only Isabella had not died, she would not have happened, but he could not ever wish that she had not happened. With that convoluted thought he rose to go wash up and make some coffee.

The door to her room was shut, and he stared at it, willing her to open it and invite him in, but she slept on. The trauma of all that happened had exhausted her beyond her will to try and keep awake to talk with Brady and John, still she had made a valiant effort, until both of them urged her to bed. Until then, the three of them had relived a lifetime as they gave her the details of life as they had lived it.

"I wish I had something to share with the two of you, but nothing is in my head after the last few moments I remember in Tuscany..." Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears as she looked through scrapbooks of Brady growing up, his baseball games, choir recitals, finally his high school and college commencements, and the wedding to Chloe.

"Mom, believe me, in some of the roughest moments of my life, you came to guide me along, I remember..and Chloe knows as well..right Dad?" Brady recalled how his mother had helped him make Chloe understand how much she meant to him, and how his father had urged him to believe in what he felt.

"She did indeed, Son, your mother was right beside you all the time, when you felt her, she was there, I know it!"

"Did I come to you as well John?" the question hung, but Isabella needed to know, "or was Marlena what you needed then?"

The look on his face made her stop, then her hand had covered his, "I am sorry, I know you had a right to move on with your life, and I am glad you did." Isabella was thinking of the visit she had made to Marlenas office so long ago, telling her how the illness was rapidly progressing, and almost giving her blessing to a union of Marlena with John. She had wanted him to be happy, only now, being back in the fold, she could not quite let loose of the fact that she did not want him to be quite so happy!

"Oh, Izzy, yes, I did move on, I had Belle, and I was happy with Marlena. But things happened with her as well, she did not want to hurt Roman..but we ended up doing that anyway..the DiMera's pulled this very strange serial killer thing in the town, I ended up thinking she was dead..I should have know better in this town! I was engaged to her best friend, and she came back pregnant with Roman's child..no, don't ask, it is a very long story, then a ex husband no one ever heard of named Alex North swept into town and she ends up remarrying him then he turned out to be a real basket case as well..God! Izzy, you are the only sane woman who has ever been in my life!"

"Do you mean that John? Is Marlena still with this guy?"her hopes were up that nothing would take John away from her. She did not see how Brady was covering his mouth to keep from laughing.

"Well, no, Marlena is with Stefano DiMera..it seems they have long loved each other, but it was submerged in her mind, and now she wants to have the life with him she always should have had. He has always loved her as well, remember all that Queen of the Night stuff? I guess it was all true." John did not elaborate, he was not going to think about that, he had Izzy!

The whole story was intriguing, but strange. However, Isabella remembered, this was after all Salem. Nothing about this town was normal, and she smiled to herself as she thought how dull it would be if it actually was normal.

"I picked up some of Sami's books at the bookstore last week, she is wonderful! I was actually able to catch up on a lot of Salem history, but a lot has happened as well!"

"That, my dear is an understatement!" John laughed, liking how the conversation was lightening up.

"And what about my Father? I did not really talk to him the other night, I hope he understands what a shock it all was to me!"

Brady walked around behind her, his hand coming to rest upon her shoulder. What Victor had said to him and Chloe he was hoping was only his grandfather being his usual taciturn self, and that he would soon come around to accepting this. Until then, Brady did not want her to know what Victor had said.

"No good comes of these corpses that DiMera sends back..when he does that, we better be on our guard!" This had been said to Philip, but Brady had been walking by in the inner hall, the words making him stop, almost to the point of spilling the warm milk he was bringing Chloe from the kitchen.

"Dad, she is your daughter..you always spoke so fondly of her!"

"She is my daughter yes, but she is my beloved dead daughter, and I wish to God she had stayed that way, mark my words, Stefano is up to something with this!" Victor's cold beady eyes had fixed on the portrait of Isabella that hung on the wall. He preferred this picture of her, she was young, and innocent. There was something different about the one he had met last night, he could see it in her eyes. If Philip was to be safe and secure in his ascension to the top of the world, and to stop the growth and assure the decline of the DiMera story, he would have to do something about her!

EJ sat at his computer desk, Harris across from him as they pulled binders out of the dusty bins. It was four a.m. and EJ had left his bed reluctantly, but Samantha did not need to hear or see this. When they got to the one marked I Tosacano, they opened it, hoping they would not see what they feared.

"Yes, EJ, it looks like Stef sent Victors daughter back to kill him, man that guy is a cold bastard isn't he?"

"EJ Wells! Whatever is in that damn book I order you to stop it! Isabella is not a murderer!" Samantha stood in the door way, having heard every word, but from the way the two of them looked up at her, she knew it was too late. Whatever plan Stefano had set up, it was already in motion.

Isabella finally opened the door to the bedroom and came out. Gratefully she took the cup of coffee, and leaned in to whisper in Johns ear.

"All are keepers of the castle."The innocent words which opened the mind to the suggestions long ago planted took root, and John calmly began to make the preparations.

Victor Kirakis was found the next day in his bed, a single gunshot wound to his head, and a suicide note on his bedside. John had done his work well, and now he could begin the life he would live all the days of his life, with Isabella. They would help Brady and Chloe raise a fine grandson. Belle and Sami visited their mother, and became convinced she was as happy as she had ever been, so they left her in peace. Philip divorced Analiese, and began to re connect with Belle. Sami and EJ stood in for them at the wedding, as all bloodlines of the town came together in peace.

Gradually, Stefano would send back people he had removed from Salem. Roman was first to return, his stint on the Phoenix had made him a more reliable grandfather than he had been. Abe was released, and though he never remarried, Lexie did to the one man who had always understood her, Brandon Walker. Celeste also came back, and when she married Roman, Sami was happy for both of them.

Kate ended up with Nico, and they moved North where he started a Limo Service, and she became an Event Planner doing upscale parties in Ontario Canada.

As he sat on his yacht, Marlena squinting her best smile at him..Stefano pulled a present for her out of his pocket. "What is this? I remember it from my childhood for some reason!"

"A collectors item my dear, that is the actual puppet from the television show, with Shari Lewis, the puppet is Lamb Chop, and when I see it, I always thought of you!"

"Oh Stefano, how sweet..do you know how much I love you?"

"No my dear, why don't you come over here and sit on my lap and tell me!"

And so she did.

"ok, I think I got the ending I have always wanted " last installment of nana chrons coming soon! Hope u enjoyed this one, with the gratitious sex and some violence!


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